


Be the Life of the Party

by Mimiminaj



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Human, Boss! Derek, Eventual Graphic Smut, Fluff, M/M, New Employee! Stiles, Setting - Movie Theater
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-15
Updated: 2014-07-15
Packaged: 2018-02-09 01:00:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1962990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mimiminaj/pseuds/Mimiminaj
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His father’s face suddenly turned serious again. </p>
<p>“He is twenty four though, son. I don’t care if his smile shits rainbows and his laugh births puppies. You are his employee. It would be bad to cross those lines during your first job. Or ever.”</p>
<p>Stiles’ face hit the table. </p>
<p>“I hate my life,” he moaned. </p>
<p>Scott laughed cheerfully. “Don’t worry sheriff! It sounds to me like the entire cinema staff feels the same. Stiles doesn’t stand a chance with Derek!”</p>
<p>“Scratch that,” Stiles mumbled into the wood. “I hate you two more.”</p>
<p>Or – Stiles starts working at the movie theater. His boss is Derek.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Be the Life of the Party

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry that I haven't been writing for Five Tattoos recently, this kind of took over my mind.
> 
> Most of these stories are true. Yes, customers at movie theaters do act that way. No lie.

“I think you need a job,” Scott casually commented to him a week into the summer before their senior year. “I mean…you have a jeep Stiles. You can drive. I’ll be working at the vet. You’re going to want something to occupy your time.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. He wasn’t that easily fooled. “I know that when you say _vet_ you mean _Allison_ dude, no need to sugar coat it. And for your information, I’ve beaten the entire _Bioshock_ trilogy since school ended. A week ago. So that pretty much proves I can entertain myself, thank you.”

“That’s not healthy. Is this the first time you’ve seen the sun since last Friday?”

“Maybe…I’ll think about it. I don’t even know where I’d want to work. No way in hell am I working at McDonalds.”

Scott opened his mouth –

“And I refuse to work at the library. I’m not that much of a nerd.”

Scott closed his mouth before opening it again –

“And no I’m not working at the hardware store. Neither of us knows the difference between a plane and a level.”

Frustrated, Scott snapped his mouth shut again. Stiles watched him take a few moments to ponder before yelling –

“Too late, we’re here! I guess you’ll have to think about jobs another time. It’s time to see X-Men dude!”

Stiles giddily exited his jeep, making a beeline for the theater doors. Stiles just bought his ticket when Scott, huffing, caught up with him.

“You didn’t even wait for me dude.”

“I’m getting cotton candy.”

“That’s not a surprise.”

“That wasn’t me telling you I’m getting it, that was me explaining why I bolted. Remember that one time – “

“The person in front of you took the last cotton candy,” Scott finished for him. “Yes.”

Stiles nodded. “Exactly. Now let me go get some - ”

He stopped midsentence. There, hanging right above the box office, was a shiny little sign that read **NOW HIRING**.

He turned to Scott. “Think they remember the cotton candy incident?”

Scott hummed. “Probably not. That was three years ago. Why?”

“Because I found where I’m working this summer.”

  

* * *

 

 

One week after Stiles submitted his application, he was called in for an interview. The general manager, Laura Hale, was a shockingly gorgeous 30 year old women who emitted the most ‘do not fuck with me, what I say is the law’ vibe Stiles had ever felt. From the second he walked into her office, he was floored by how much respect the women effortlessly commanded.

Stiles gladly gave it all too her.

The interview was short and sweet.

“I see you’re still sixteen? But turning seventeen in a few months. You’ll be a senior in high school at BHHS. Pretty good grades, Mr. Stilinski. It says here you have no prior work experience? Why is that? Mr. Stilinski? Mr. Stilinski.”

“What, oh sorry!” Stiles shook his head. “I’m so sorry! It’s just your office, it’s so…wow.” Stiles couldn’t tell what the actual wallpaper was because every inch of the wall was covered by either a movie poster, or cut up pictures of famous celebrities or stills from movies. The whole thing was…at least to Stiles…well, breathtaking.

He glanced over at Ms. Hale, realizing he totally spaced out during his interview, and quickly cursed himself. “I’m so sorry Mrs. Hale, I didn’t mean to space! What was your question?!?”

To his immense relief, Mrs. Hale just smiled a small (beautiful, his mind supplied) smile. “Yeah, this office has that effect on people. If you’re a true movie buff, than this space is really…special.”

She seemed to gaze at the walls for a few more seconds before shaking her head.

“Laura. The employees call me Laura. I had asked why you never had a job before?”

Stiles shrugged. “This is my first full summer being able to drive. And I’ve never had a desire, really. No wait, I know why. I’ve never really found a place I wanted to work at. Until now, I mean. If that wasn’t clear.”

Laura gave him another smile. “I’ve met your father. He’s a great guy. Gave you an…interesting recommendation.”

“Interesting?”

“He said, one manager of employees to another, that I would be dumb not to hire you. He said that when you dedicate yourself to something, you give it your all. And, apparently, your enthusiasm is unmatched.”

Stiles face brightened. “That sounds like a starring recommendation!”

“He also says your spastic, sometimes clumsy, easily distracted, extremely stubborn and sometimes has a problem taking orders.”

Stiles’ smile fell.

“Which, to me, sounded like traits of every single teenage boy out there. You just come with the enthusiasm and dedication they don’t.”

Stiles smiled again. “So…”

“So you’re hired. Here are your forms, and as you can tell we wear full tuxes on the job so I’ll need your measurements. Come in tomorrow anytime we’re open and I’ll have one of the assistant managers set up the OSHA video for you to watch. All employees start out in the stand, which is short for concession stand, so that’s where your first shift will be. How about Saturday? Eleven to Five?”

Stiles, bewildered, nodded his head.

“That sounds awesome.”

Stiles’ first day on the job was…hectic. Kendra, a senior at his school but a girl he’d never talked to before, trained him. She said he was the third person she’d trained this week. He felt like he was in capable hands.

After going to this particular theater for most of his life, Stiles had thought he had most of the menu down. He didn’t. He didn’t even know the concessions had smoothies, or boneless wings, or mini donuts (he felt especially cheated on that one) or churro bites (and that one) and cheeseburgers (though they were just those nasty white castles you stick in the industrial oven).

He didn’t realize the employees had to try to upsell literally everything. A customer ordered a junior drink? Stiles had to ask if, for 50 cents more, they’d like a regular size. Or, because it was only 20 cents more, to upgrade that regular soda to a large with the popcorn-soda combo. It was all a bit confusing

Learning the CT wasn’t that bad. The interface was pretty easy to use, and all the concession items (all 87 of them) were actually pretty easy to find.

Within three hours, asking if they wanted butter flavoring and suggestive selling candy already started to feel like second nature.

When the rush died down, Kendra started explaining how the theater functioned. Because it was a Saturday afternoon, there was a full staff on. There were five other employees working the stand, all of whom Stiles was introduced to but none of whom he actually had time to talk to yet.

“Okay, so there are four different positions employees can work in.  Obviously there is the stand, which is where you’ll be working for at least a few months. They always stick the new employees back here for awhile before they let them branch out to the better jobs.”

“Better jobs?” Stiles asked.

“Yeah, everybody hates working concessions. Customers are always crazy over here. The only other job in the stand is the cook, who makes the mini donuts, churro bites, white casltes, yada-yada on request. There is usually only one cook, but sometimes we have two on super busy nights.”

Stiles nodded. “Okay, got it.”

Kendra pointed to the box office, where three people stood at three stations. “As you know, box office is where you buy the tickets. They have two regular employees and one assistant manager there when it’s busy.”

“Assistant manager?”

“I’m getting there. The last job, and everybody’s favorite, is ushing. Their job is literally so easy I could cry. They open and close the auditorium doors when the movie ends and begins, and they give the auditorium a light sweeping up after each movie to make it presentable. They also walk threw the theater’s to make sure nobody is on their cell phone or making a lot of noise.”

Stiles furrowed his eyebrows. “Sounds like there’s not enough to do during a six hour shift.”

“Exactly. Otherwise they just walk around and basically make their presence known to the theater. It keeps a lot of the under 18 year olds at bay. They also just stand around and talk to each other. As you probably already guessed, it’s the most wanted job.”

“Man. I want to ush.”

“Give it time. But be careful, you better do well the first few times you do it. If you do really well, they’ll keep putting you there. There are some employees that always get placed to ush because they are so good at it. Some employees never do, because they just fool around and don’t even do the few jobs the task requires.”

“Do you ush a lot?”

“I’m at box a lot. The only time I’m in the stand is when I train new employees, because everybody knows I’m kick ass at my job.”

Stiles grinned. “Okay, so what else?”

Kendra hummed, “how about we go over the ‘food chain’ of this place.” Stiles nodded.

“Alright. At the top is Laura. She’s everybody’s boss here. Under her we have six assistant managers. One of them is sort of like a weird place above the other assistant managers but below Laura. You can tell they are managers because, unlike us, they can choose to wear what they want under their tux coat. We have to wear this white button up and these silly bowties. They get to dress in any color shirt and any color tie. But anyway, our assistant managers are Nicole, Drew, Anna - ”

“I met Anna! She started up my OSHA video!” Anna was very nice. She was a larger woman, mid twenties, who had a permanent smile on her face.  She had been ecstatic to meet Stiles.

“Eww. I hated those. Yep, and that’s Drew right over there at Box.” Stiles looked over. Drew was a short, mousy type of man with spiked, bleach blonde hair. “And we also have Cody, which, oh my God, you will love him; he is hilarious! And finally Becky.” Kendra pointed to a women at the other end of the stand who was chilling and talking with the cook.

“I thought there was six? Who’s the head Assistant.”

“Right! I keep forgetting he’s not technically in a category of his own. The last one is Derek. He’s Laura’s brother.”

Stiles nodded and hummed. “Did he get the job by being a family member?”

“Probably. Doesn’t really matter though. Derek is brilliant at his job. He can take a customer who is literally seeing red to shouting their love for this theater within seconds.”

“Impressive. Yet you like Cody more?”

“Oh yes. Derek is great at his job. He’s not so great at being a…person.”

“A person?”

“You’ll see. He’s a bit…frosty. Still doesn’t talk to half the employees. It took me two years of working here before he finally _willingly_ started a conversation with me. He hates new employees, though. Well no, that’s probably not true. He just hates new people in general.”

“Weird. Laura was the opposite of that. At least in my interview.”

“The only thing Laura and Derek have in common is their last name and their inhuman good looks.”

“Derek is as good looking as Laura? Because, and I know she’s my boss and all, but Laura is the best looking 30 year old I’ve ever seen.”

Kendra smiled and shook her head slowly. “I don’t know if you’re gay straight or bi, nobody cares here by the way, but just wait till you see Derek. If you like guys, you will literally have a mini heart attack upon seeing him. I know I did. And, if you don’t like guys, you will literally hate him for having such superior looks.”

Stiles couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah okay, dramatic much.”

Kendra raised a single eyebrow. “You just wait, Stilinski. I can’t wait till you eat your words.”

 

* * *

 

 

By the end of his shift, Stiles felt slightly relieved. He had only spilled two popcorn tubs, forgotten to give three costumers their change, forgot to upsell four times and tripped over his feet three times.

He had the prices of a small, medium and large drink and popcorn down, and he also felt like he had a good grip on all the combos. And he still had two more shifts of just training.

* * *

 

It was Stiles’ fourth shift when he first met Derek Hale.

“I’ll take one large popcorn and a regular soda.” Stiles smiled and nodded. The customer was a lady in her early twenties. Seeing as she didn’t have kids and she was under 60 years old, Stiles knew she wouldn’t cause any drama.

“It would actually be ten cents cheaper to get - _“ oh my God_. Stiles’ eyes had flickered above the ladies head towards the box office and then froze. He lost his train of thought.

Whoever was talking to Drew up at box was…beautiful. Spectacular. A piece of art.

“Sir?” The lady questioned, looking over her shoulder before giving a small laugh. Stiles eyes flew down towards her and his eyebrows furrowed. Why was she laughing? _And who was that_?!?

“You’re new, right? Is this your first time seeing Derek?”

“That’s Derek?” Stiles breathed. Of course, logically, it would have to be. He had already met all the other assistant managers by now, and only assistant managers wore their own clothes. That and the fact that this guy was a good few years older than the general high school aged staff was a pretty good indicator.

“And yes I know it’s ten cents cheaper to get the large drink but that’s okay. I don’t want to pee during the movie.”

Stiles shook his head, apologized, and quickly scurried to get her order. He told her the total and asked while he swiped her card; “so you’re a regular?”

“I always come to this theater. If only for the eye candy.” She gave Stiles a wink before tossing a look back at Derek.

“Have a nice day!” Stiles called to her as she walked away. He spared a glance over to Derek only to freeze. Derek’s eyes were on his, and for a split second they looked at each other. Derek gave a small nod before turning back to Drew and carrying on their conversation. Stiles saw Derek five more times that shift, but not once did Derek come in or near the concession stand.

Stiles spilled five popcorns within four hours. Honestly, he thought he walked away in pretty good shape.

 

* * *

 

 

“Hello! I’m Stiles. And I’m probably the most excited person here to see you.”

The new guy, Riley, raised his eyebrows. “Why is that?”

“I’m officially not the new guy anymore!”

Kendra rolled her eyes. “It’s been like two weeks, Stiles. You’re still the new guy.”

“Hey! What about Riley!”

Kendra just smiled and steered Riley onwards. Stiles distinctly heard the ‘he’s quite excitable’ she thought she had whispered.

Sometime later, Stiles was staring blankly at the clock when someone called his name. He looked up. It was Derek Hale.

“What?” Stiles said. He cringed. Great, now he sounded stupid.

“I said can I have a water cup?”

Stiles spluttered into action, avoided tripping (narrowly) and grabbed a handful of cups.

Derek took them gently from Stiles hand, taking one and putting the rest back on the counter before nodding towards Stiles. When Stiles realized he was about to leave, he blurted out “I’m Stiles!”

Derek froze. He was turning away at the time, so his body was half turned away from the concessions, half turned toward it. Derek looked back and smirked.

“I’m aware. I do know my employees names.”

Stiles averted his eyes.

“Right. Sorry. Well, just thought you should know. Because, you know, it’s one thing to see a name but it’s another to be introduced. And I mean, it has been two weeks and you still haven’t said anything, so maybe I’m questioning your managerial skills. So..yeah. Okay. Oh my god I can’t believe I said that. I’m sorry. I’m going to go now. I’m sure there’s popcorn to be…popped. Somewhere.”

Derek stared at him blankly, mouth slightly open and eyes a bit wider than normal. Stiles debated on leaving either in a quick sprint or carefully turning around and causally walking to the popper. He prayed that it actually was time to pop more seed.

Than, before he knew it, Derek gave a short, small (but still there) laugh. He didn’t smile per say, but his lips definitely turned upwards.

“I can assure you my managerial skills are up to par, Stiles. You’d be surprised how many employees get fired before their first month is up.”

Stiles smiled. “So you didn’t want to waste the time?”

“You never know who is going to turn out to suck.”

_Not sexual. Not sexual. Stop it._

“I can assure you that I’m going to be the best employee _ever_. I’ll be so integral to this place that maybe I’ll be an assistant manager. Or replace Laura. Or be your spokesperson. Or maybe you guys will give me free movies for life. Or, and this may or may not be the coolest thing in the world, let me hook up an Xbox and play a game on the big screen. Or get my entire school into a free movie and I’d become the most popular - ”

Stiles snapped his mouth shut and groaned.

_Seriously, you have to babble?? At the worst times, too! Shut up, Stiles!_

After a long period of silence (too long, too long!), Derek huffed out another small breath. Stiles briefly wished somebody else had been around for a second opinion, because he was pretty sure that was another laugh.

“Can we just pretend that you asked for a water cup and I gave it to you and you walked away?”

Derek seemed to think about that for a second before bowing his head in a nod.

“If only because I have absolutely no idea what to say to all of that. Thanks for the water cup.” He was just turning to leave when he stopped himself. Again.

“I’m Derek by the way.”

Stiles furrowed his eyebrows. He looked back at Derek (God that face was so unfair) and nodded.

“I know.”

He just shrugged.

“I’m sure you know, I’m your assistant manager after all. But it’s one thing to know a name, and another to be introduced.”

With that, Derek walked away. Stiles totally did not watch his ass (oh my God how did he find tux pants that fit so tightly) nor did he admit to Derek’s excellent wordplay.

He did, however, spend the next two hours mentally kicking himself for the level of rambling he had just achieved.

 

* * *

 

 

Kendra was definitely right about Derek. He didn’t like people. Correction, most people. After a few weeks, Stiles started to learn a few things about his supermodel manager.

One, he pretty much didn’t talk to any employees that had worked for less than a year. Two, if they worked between two and three years, he would maybe allow them to start a short conversation with him. Three, if they had been here for four or more years (this list took Stiles forever to compile), Derek willingly spent his time with them.

But, mostly, Derek just liked being with his fellow assistant managers. Stiles was not a creeper, he wasn’t, but he couldn’t help but see the way Derek would magically appear in the theater lobby, effortlessly spot another assistant manager, and make his way over to them.

And God, when the dude smiled and laughed…it was….no. Stiles couldn’t go there. But Derek only did it when he talked to managers and a (small) handful of employees. Otherwise, it seemed he had his guard up.

Dude must have serious trust issues.

It had been a month, and Stiles had already decided he loved working at Beacon Hills Cinema. He pretty much knew all the employees names by now, and was already starting to make solid friendships with a number of them. He adored two of his assistant managers, Anna and Cody, and loved his boss, Laura.

The only thing he didn’t like about his job was the customers. How he hated the customers.

Stiles was really just starting to get a complete hang on everything the concession stand had to offer when he had probably his rudest customer ever.

It was a Friday night, and Stiles’ line was backed up by at least five people. Whenever lines started to accumulate Stiles would get a bit jittery. Lines meant unhappy customers, and Stiles hated unhappy customers.

The lady came up, ushering her three children (Stiles should have ran away right then and there) and slapped her credit card down. His smile wavered.

“Hi, what can I get for you today?”

“I’ll have an ultra combo, one fountain drink and one slushie for that, two orders of nachos with jalapenos on the side, cookie dough bites and a blue cotton candy.”

Stiles was already a bit lost. He had opened his mouth to tell her that the ultra combo, which is one large popcorn and two large fountain drinks, only comes with two large fountain drinks. They can’t substitute one of the drinks for a large slushie, as they inventory all of their stock. But, the lady kept talking, so Stiles effectively missed most of her order.

“I’m sorry ma’am, but the ultra combo comes with two fountain drinks. I can’t substitute one for a slushie. You can of course bye it separately – “

“Well the guy I had last time let me have the slushie.”

Stiles frowned. He hated when customers tried to cheat the system.

“I apologize. That employee did not do his job correctly, then. We inventory-“

“I know you inventory your cups.” Stiles was beginning to panic. His line was not getting any shorter and people were starting to fidget. “But obviously something can be done since it worked last time. Our movie already started, by the way.”

“What I can do is give you the super combo and you can get the slushie seperatley, ma’am, it would only be about 75 cents more.”

The lady made an exaggerated huffing noise and slapped her hands around. It made her look very childish. “Excuse me? I’d like to talk to a manager.”

Stiles eyes widened and he nodded. He felt himself flush a bit before murmuring ‘be right back’ and started his walk to the box office to grab Nicole. Before he could leave the stand, Derek popped in carrying a few rolls of quarters. One of the employee’s drawers must be empty.

“Derek!” Stiles cried. He didn’t even have time to appreciate the tight blue button up and black tie Derek was sprouting. His whole world was focused on his customer.

He must have looked alarmed though, because Derek’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Hi, I’m Stiles, not sure if you remembered, but – “

Derek rolled his eyes before asking, “Are you alright?”

“I have a customer that would like to speak to a manager,” he squeaked.

“Lead the way.”

Stiles did. He presented Derek to the lady, and was not shocked at the small flicker of wow that crossed her face. What he was shocked at, however, was the blinding smile Derek gave the lady as he spoke “I’m Derek, what seems to be the problem here ma’am?”

“I’m trying to order the ultra combo and replace one of the drinks for a slushie, and this _employee_ is telling me that that’s not possible. Which I know it is, because the employee last time said it was fine.”

Derek nodded. “I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but that employee did not seem to do his or her job correctly. Unfortunately, there’s nothing that I can do for you here. We can give you the super combo and you can of course buy the slushie separately.”

The lady was shooting daggers at Derek.

“You’re an assistant manager? I’d like to talk to your manager _please_.”

“My _sister_ , our general manager, is not in the building at this time. I’m therefore the highest manager currently on staff.”

“Remind me to go to a different cinema next time,” the lady fake whispered to one of her sons. Stiles eyes widened and snapped to Derek. His polite smile didn’t waver at all.

“So what can I get you ma’am?”

“Super combo. Large slushie. Two nachos. Cookie Dough Bites. Blue cotton candy.” She said all of this as if she was talking to a very annoying toddler.

“Would you like butter flavoring with that?”

“Please.” The lady didn’t snarl, but she definitely didn’t not snarl.

“Will you grab the nacho’s Stiles?” Derek pleasantly asked as he started filling the popcorn.

Stiles was still a bit shaken as the lady picked up her food to go, sarcastically saying ‘thanks for all the help’. He turned to see Derek watching him.

“Go ahead and take a breather. Check the soda stations. I’ll cover the rest of your line.”

“Thanks,” Stiles nodded, trying to convey his gratitude with a smile.

He was so not ready for the smile he got back.

After Stiles had wiped the stations down and filled the napkin and straw containers, he cautiously returned to the stand. Before he could step inside, Derek pulled him to a corner of the lobby.

“I’m sorry that I messed up! I didn’t know what to do, I swear I wasn’t being rude, I’m not sure - ”

“Stiles.”

“She was just so insistant and I remember one of the number one rules is not to mess up inventory and - ”

“Stiles,” Derek said more fiercely.

He snapped his mouth closed.

“First thing you need to know is that people suck. They just generally do. And the second thing to know is that it’s not your fault. That crazy ass lady” (and Stiles couldn’t help but crack a smile at that) “would have gone ape shit on _any_ customer. Don’t let them get to you.” Derek clapped Stiles shoulder and gave him a light squeeze, directing him back into the stand. “You did great.”

“Why didn’t you just give her the large slushie? I know the managers can do that,” Stiles murmured, because the question had been bothering him.

“You heard the way she referred to you? The way she said employee. That’s the difference between a customer I would gladly bend the rules for, and a customer that I wouldn’t. Being rude won’t always get you what you want.”

Stiles quietly murmured his thanks as he returned to his station. Suddenly and all at once, Stiles not only thought Derek was gorgeous, but thought he was a generally great person.

He was definitely a great boss.

And a manager.

And shit, Stiles did not like where this road was leading.

 

* * *

 

 

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Your manager?!?” Scott whined, reaching for the frosted flakes and pouring some more into his bowl.

“I know. I feel like the authority figure thing he has going on for him works way to well. That and the alpha male persona.”

It was around 11 in the morning, and Scott and Stiles had just gotten up after a night of halo. They were eating cereal in Stiles’ kitchen while he lamented his frustration with his best friend.

“But he’s your boss, Stiles! And like, what? Eight years older? You said he’s twenty four?”

“I’m turning seventeen in three days buddy, he’s only seven years older.”

“The fact that you think that makes it so much better…”

“Look, I’m sorry, but seriously. His looks are one thing. I can handle his looks. But...oh my god. He’s a good fucking guy.”

“I heard he’s quiet and rude to people.”

“I mean yes he can be. He’s _reserved_ though, not quiet. And people only think he’s rude because he doesn’t talk with a lot of people and will stare them away when they attempt conversations.”

“Please do not tell me you watch him while you work.”

“I watch him while I work.”

Scott sighed. “Oh my God. How, exactly, is he a ‘good guy’.”

“Well there was this terrible customer a week ago. Derek totally stood up for me. And like three days ago, I watched him help an old lady to her theater! AN OLD LADY SCOTT!”

“Aka, his job, Stiles.”

“But his smile.”

“Which is something physical! I feel like you’re still focusing on the physical.”

“Well obviously I can’t forget about his amazing face and what I’m sure is an amazing body. Guy wears his suits way to tightly! Most times I go into the changing room and pray he will come in, lock the door and have his evil way - ”

Stiles snapped his mouth shut and watched wide-eyed as his dad, false casually, strolled into the kitchen and made a beeline for the refrigerator.

“Morning, Mr. Stilinksi!”

“Morning Scott.”

Stiles could feel his face burning red.

“D-dad? I thought you were working the day shift, today?”

“Nope. The night shift. I’ve been in the living room reading. You guys went straight for the kitchen. I guess you didn’t even bother to check.”

“Oh.”

Stiles felt himself sinking lower in his chair. Moments earlier, he was about to refill his bowl for a third time. He had suddenly lost his appetite.

“Oh, and son?”

“Yes Dad?”

“You are sixteen.” He held up a hand when Stiles protested. “And in three days you will be seventeen. Which is 365 days under the age of consent.”

“Dad!”

“And just because I’m your father doesn’t mean I wont take a sexual harassment issue filed against you seriously.”

“Oh my God dad!”

The sheriff’s face split into a grin.

“No, I’m just kidding I know you wouldn’t dare.” His face suddenly turned serious again. “He is twenty four though, son. I don’t care if his smile shits rainbows and his laugh births puppies. You are his employee. It would be bad to cross those lines in your first job. Or ever.”

Stiles’ face hit the table.

“I hate my life,” he moaned.

Scott laughed cheerily. “Don’t worry sheriff! It sounds to me like the entire cinema staff feels the same! Stiles doesn’t stand a chance!”

“Scratch that,” Stiles mumbled into the wood. “I hate you two more.”

 

* * *

 

 

Three days later Stiles was working a day shift on his seventeenth birthday. Which, he totally didn’t mind. He still had all night to party it up. With Scott. Yeah. His life.

It was a Tuesday, so the theater was fairly empty. Two hours into his shift, and Stiles had probably only helped twenty or so people.

He was playing on his phone when he heard a child scream “HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON PREEASSE!!!”

Stiles looked up, already smiling, because he recognized that voice. It was Lily, Laura’s four-year-old daughter. His smile left his face when his jaw dropped. There Derek was, in normal clothes, holding Lily and ordering tickets at the box office.

A few things happened at once.

First, Stiles was hit full force with a view of Derek’s arms for the first time. He was wearing a muscle shirt, biceps bulging on full display. Unfair.

Second, Stiles was hit full force with a view of Derek with an armful of an adorable girl. Which, by association, made Derek look adorable. Also unfair.

Third, Stiles was hit full force with the realization that Tony, the only other employee working the stand today, had just started his ten-minute break. This effectively made Stiles the only person working the stand. The world apparently took pity on him today.

_Let’s do this shit_ , Stiles thought to himself.

He watched Derek pocket the tickets and start to make his way over, pausing for a fraction of a second when his eyes landed on Stiles, and then continued with a small, almost there smile.

“You look weird without a suit on,” Stiles said, foregoing any type of greeting.

Derek grinned and lifted Lily up slightly. She giggled and nudged closer to Derek. She wove her arms around his neck and whispered something into Derek’s ear.

Derek’s face cracked into a grin and he laughed.

“Your mom made it very clear that you were not to have any candy, Lily. There’s not much I can do.”

Lily’s face fell and she stuck out her lip.

“But you always let me have candy…” She murmured, not quite meeting Derek’s eyes and more focused on the fabric of Derek’s shirt her tiny little fingers were currently playing with. Damn. She was beyond adorable.

“And why’s that?”

“Because you’re the bestest uncle in the whole world.”

Derek’s grin grew into more of a cocky smirk and he shrugged his shoulders. He threw in a fake sigh and murmured, “I guess that’s probably true,” as he grabbed a bag of sour patch kids and placed it on the counter.

Stiles was pretty much having a hard time computing all this new information.

“I’ll take two comp bags of popcorn and that will be all.” Stiles nodded and quickly busied himself with filling the bags.

“Anna told me I was supposed to wish you a happy birthday. So that was me wishing you a happy birthday.” Derek looked like he was going for casual, but his mock interest in the saltshaker was a bit to much. Nobody found salt that fascinating.

Stiles, afraid of what his mouth might say, just smiled and hummed a non-committal noise of appreciation.

“Was it your eighteenth or seventeenth?”

Stiles set the two bags of popcorn down and smiled. “Seventeen. I can now…watch rated R movies. Living the high life.”

Derek opened his mouth to say something but was cut short by Lily.

“Uncle Derek! We’re going to miss the movie! Let’s go!” She squirmed a little bit, successfully wringing Derek’s head (the appendage connected to the neck she was currently withering) and made impatient noises.

“Don’t make me regret giving you Candy,” he murmured. “Now take your popcorn and do not spill it, okay? Do you want to walk? Easier to hold, maybe?”

“Nope.” She stated simply, reaching for the popcorn bag Derek presented her and nuzzling it into the arm that wasn’t wrapped around his neck.

“It was nice meeting you Lily.” Stiles smiled, eyes snapping back to Derek as he picked up the candy and his own popcorn. “Enjoy the movie,” he murmured more quietly.

Derek nodded. “Enjoy your birthday.”

Stiles shift ended an hour later, and it wasn’t the first time that he left the theater wishing he could have stayed longer. Only if because How to Train Your Dragon was getting out in 42 minutes, and he knew for a fact that there were two patrons he wanted to say goodbye too. Well, he had an excellent conversation starter for another time, at least.

 

* * *

 

He didn’t think there was a single thing he could hate about summer. Summer was awesome. Summer was every kid and teenagers dream. Summer was literally the time everybody under 18 could give zero fucks and relax almost all day long.

As it turns out, summer is also the time for little kids to be in day care camps. They rent out some of the auditoriums and bus in a hundred some kids at a time. Yes the lobby gets super packed for a solid fifteen minutes and it’s the craziest rushes Stiles has ever had to work through, but it’s also very rewarding seeing the pure excitement radiate off all of the kids.

What isn’t rewarding, however, is the young _teachers_ that chaperone the kids. They all seem to be in their young twenties, and they all seem to have conveniently worn their most scantily clad yet still borderline professional outfits on the days they come into the theater.

They also seem to be able to zero in on Derek’s position with an ability that Stiles has come to think of as demonic.

He would rather like to pour a batch of 400-degree popping oil over their heads. He does a pretty good job of refraining from actually doing it. One time, though, he did purposefully give the lady a regular coke instead of a diet.  He was pretty sure he saw her complaining to a manager about the taste, so he never did it again.

Usually it’s not that bad. Derek obviously can’t take up line space, so he has to stand far enough away so that Stiles can’t hear what’s being said. Not today. Stiles is on the farthest CT to the right, meaning there’s a huge chunk of lobby that is next to him and lineless.

So of course Derek and four of the ‘teachers’ decide to fill it.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in blue before, Derek. It’s quite striking.”

Stiles gagged. Handing over an M&M bag wordlessly to a kid and holding his hand out for payment.

“You should wear it more often,” she purrs.

_Oh my God seriously, thirsty much? Who actually says striking?_

“Thank you. My sister seems to think so too. She told me to wear it more often.”

That was another thing, Stiles could never tell if Derek actually liked the attention or not. Part of him believed that Laura hustled him out into the lobby every time a day care group came in (he was always in the lobby without fail), if only because the ‘teachers’ salivated over Derek and they were the ones who actually decided what activities the group did during the summer.

Honestly, it would have been genius. Derek kept them coming back, like the thirsty whores they were.

Wow. Sometimes Stiles could be really mean.

But other times Stiles wondered if Derek actually enjoyed the attention and put himself out on the floor willingly. He always smiled and sort-of-kind-of flirted back. If it was an act, his skills at manipulation were unmatched. Seriously though, guy could work a batch of girls simply by saying thank you.

“Oh yes,” a tall blonde said, “thank Laura for me, will you. Just the other day one of my kids was telling me how much he loved this cinema.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. This bitch was clearly trying to use Laura as an in with Derek. He was certain Derek would see right through that.

“She’ll be ecstatic to hear that. You know she loves having you guys here. That’s probably a lot to do with Lily.”

Though this wasn’t Lily’s day care (she went to a much more expensive one in the town over), all the teacher’s ohh’ed and ahh’ed.

Stiles briefly wondered if the eight year old he was helping would mind some vomit in his popcorn.

“I feel like you have a soft spot for kids too though, Derek.”

“I definitely do. I love children. I can’t wait to have some of my own. I think what you do is very admirable.”

Stiles eyes narrowed and he glanced over at Derek. That sounded a little too complimentary and a little too far fetched. Just two days ago he saw Derek reprimand two tweens for throwing milk duds at each other in the hallway. Stiles was pretty sure they had tears in their eyes as they walked away, and Derek murmured something along the lines of ‘so fucking annoying’ as he walked the other way.

His memory train was derailed, however, when he saw the four teachers preening at Derek’s words. One was actually tilting her chest upwards, exposing even more cleavage than before.

His eyes slipped over to the popcorn oil. He briefly considered pouring it over his own head before giving that thought up too. He would literally scar a hundred little kids for the rest of their lives with that performance.

Stiles glanced back at his customer, raising his eyebrows. Why was the kid still there? And why did the kid look so unimpressed.

“Are you going to give me my change today?”

He glanced at his CT and cursed. He had already closed his drawer, meaning he needed a set of keys to reopen them.

He suddenly grinned. “Thanks kid…DEREK! I NEED YOU TO OPEN MY DRAWER!”

He tried not to look at the group of teachers as he pulled away their eye candy. He utterly failed. It was way to entertaining watching them send death glares his way. He just politely waved back.

“They don’t look too happy with you,” Derek murmured from behind him (fucking ninja powers) as he searched through his keys.

“I just took away their entertainment for the morning. Can you blame them?”

Derek sighed. “Whoops, this is taking me quite some time. I just can’t seem to find this damn key.”

He grinned. So maybe Laura _did_ force Derek out into the lobby.

“Here let me help you with that,” Stiles mocked. “I’m sure I’ll be able to find it.”

He took the keys from Derek and tried one key. He purposefully chose a key that was three times larger than the small key opening suggested the correct key was. If they were going to milk this out, Stiles was going to do it right.

“Stiles, that key is far to large for that hole.”

Stiles smirked to himself. “No matter how large it is, you can still fit it in the _hole_. It just takes some patience and easing into.”

Derek huffed a laugh. “Oh my God that was the worst.” He grabbed his keys and quickly opened Stiles drawer.

“Remember,” he murmured to Stiles, “you are surrounded by kids.”

He turned and looked up at Derek, smirking and winking. “Will do boss. Innuendos will be kept to the _bare minimum_.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“You’re auditorium is ready,” they both heard Nicole shout over the crowd. “If you’d like to follow me I can lead you there.”

A chorus of excitement erupted from the kids. 

Stiles handed back the change, helped two more customers, than wiped down his station.

A little while later, Anna stopped by his CT and smiled at him.

“You know, you’ve only worked here a little over two months but I can already tell you’re going to be one hell of an employee.”

“T-thanks? Is this because I told you that you were my favorite last week?”

She smiled and half laughed, “a little. But you’re going to be leaving the stand soon. I’d say by next week you’ll learn how to be at box office. Or maybe we’ll send you straight to ushing. You never know what Laura will decide.”

“Laura decides when people get moved out of the stand?”

“Yeah. And who’s training them.”

“I want you to!”

“Ha. Unlikely. Laura rarely has an assistant manager train somebody. You’ll probably be with Michael or Becky or James. They are really good at training, though.”

“But it’s possible? We would literally have a blast Anna, don’t lie.”

Anna just gave him her signature smile and started walking away.

“I guess we’ll just have to see!”

 

* * *

 

 

A week later, Stiles was scheduled to learn how to ush.

By Derek.

It was the first time he got to wear his full suite. To be honest, he felt quite full of himself as he walked out of the changing room. He waved to the people in the stand, relishing how he was chosen (after only two months) to be moved out of concessions.

Some of the looks he got back were definitely not friendly. To be fair, some were also encouraging. His favorite? Sam, who had started eight months ago and yet still hadn’t stepped out of the concession stand, mouthed a ‘you look like a toddler in a tux’ before flashing him a thumbs up. Too bad he sometimes (usually) slacked on the job, because he totally deserved to spread his wings.

Stiles caught Derek’s eye as he made his way over to the box office. He gave him his brightest grin possible, and Derek’s mouth totally turned upwards as he slowly shook his head.

“I look good in the suite, don’t I? I mean seriously? Am I hot or am I hot? George, how banging do I look right now?”

“You look like an eight year old that had to take the place of a flower girl, but the only outfit they had left was the one old uncle bert isn’t wearing because he’s on some drinking binge.”

Stiles laughed and punched him on the arm.

“I’ve never heard a more descriptive insult. Who’s all ushing today? Also, seriously Derek, say some more words. You can’t teach me anything without verbalizing.”

Derek spluttered into action before crossing his arms and huffing.

“Hello Stiles. And we need to have the usher meeting before I can teach you anything.”

“How about you start by telling me what an usher meeting is, and what we are gaining from standing here.”

“The seventeen year old flower girl has a point. Is this the first time you’ve trained somebody?”

Derek’s glare could have easily leveled the theater better than a tornado could.

“Yes, George, it is. And unless you want to be in the stand for the next month, I’d shut it if I were you.”

“God I love feisty Derek.”

Derek’s eyes snapped back over to him, and Stiles didn’t even pretend like he hadn’t said it. Derek seemed to take a second to himself (he closed his eyes and breathed deeply through his nose – _what a drama queen_ ) before sighing.

“Alright, Stiles and I will take auditorium’s 1 through 5, and we’ll start with the 12:39 movie.”

George nodded, apparently knowing exactly what Derek was saying. Which, hello, Stiles was so lost right now. This was like the opposite of learning. This was like un-learning.

Before he could make a snarky comment, however, Derek was already halfway across the lobby and his stride wasn’t slowing down. He gazed back at George who just shrugged, murmuring a ‘good luck’ before turning in the other direction.

Stiles had to haul ass to catch up with Derek. Clearly Stiles was going to have to teach himself some things.

 

* * *

 

 

Okay, so ushing was clearly the best job. It only took Derek about a half an hour to explain everything to him, which made him grin. It was that easy.

“So, Derek my main bro, do you like being an assistant manager?”

Derek looked up from where he was changing one of the theater’s trash bags. His eyebrows were clearly showing his disapproval with where this conversation was leading. Stiles had to hand it to him, for the past hour, Derek had done an excellent job with keeping conversation to the task at hand.

But hey, Stiles was a conversationalist.

“Don’t call me your main bro.”

“Avoiding the question,” Stiles sing-songed as he tied up his own trash bag.

“Have a great afternoon,” he heard Derek say in a faux-cheerful voice. Stiles looked up to see a straggler customer walk out of the auditorium. He gave them his signature employee smile and head nod. Yep. He was a winner.

“So I’m going to take your silence as a no. Why don’t you like being a manager?”

“I do like being a manager Stiles. I just don’t like the employees.”

“You’re lucky I know you’re joking.”

“I’m really not.”

“Uh-huh. Dude, don’t try to fight this blooming friendship we have going.”

“Don’t call me dude either.”

“I feel like you’ve told me that before.”

“I wonder why I said it the first time.”

“I’m sure it was because I called you dude then, too.”

Derek groaned. “Yes. It was rhetorical, Stiles. I actually knew the answer.”

“Kind of like how I actually know you love your employees.”

“Fine. I’ll amuse. Let’s say I did. How could you have known that?”

“Hmm, let me think. How about last week when Betty lost it at box office and almost had a break down because her drawer was 20 dollars short, but you told her that after three years its understandable to have one bad day and that she’s still one of our best employees.”

Derek’s eyebrows tightened. “How’d you-”

“People talk. Tom was telling me how, and this was before I even started, you used to drive him to the bus stop after his shifts ended for about three months when his car broke down.”

“Well it was on my way…”

Stiles’ smile grew bigger. Derek glared. He (violently) picked up both trash bags and began making his way out to the dumpster. Stiles was right on his heels.

“Believe me now?”

“Nope. Don’t care.” He was pretty sure Derek’s refusal was in the playful category, but it was likely a toss up.

“Fine. Final example. Remember when you calmed me down after that crazy lady with the ultra combo made such a scene? Told me people are naturally rude? Best advice anybody’s given me here.”

“Well she was a bitch.”

Stiles stopped for a second, watching Derek throw both trash bags into the dumpster with his mouth open. When Derek turned back around, there was a full blown smile on his face. It faltered when he say Stiles expression.

“Well she _was.._.,” he said carefully.

Stiles lost it. Everything about Derek right now made his insides ache with laughter. Derek’s grin was back, and all of a sudden he was laughing too.

Derek clamped a hand on Stiles shoulder and steered him back into the theater.

“Come on, we have more theater’s to clean.”

Stiles decided Derek’s voice sounded really, really good with a hint of laughter behind it.

 

* * *

 

 

Stiles was a bit saddened when his senior year started. One, he hated homework. Two, he hated getting up in the morning. And three, his hours at the theater would be cut down.

Only one thing on that list truly mattered to him though.

 

* * *

 

 

“You have that look on your face,” his father said as he pushed around the green beans Stiles made ~~slaved over.~~

“What look?”

“Where something big happened and you’re dying to tell me.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Okay, so it’s something good.”

Stiles scowled. “How do you know?”

“Because you always dance around it until the end. You make it seem like a big reveal.”

“I feel like parents are supposed to pretend to be excited and happy for their kids. You are failing in that aspect.”

“Last week you literally made me spend ten minutes trying to guess your big news. I do not consider the two year anniversary of Avengers to be big news.”

“You are literally the worst. This weeks news is much bigger.”

“Do I have to guess?”

“I have a date on Tuesday.”

His father’s eyebrows skyrocketed, and a small private smile entered his face. Stiles was preening inside until…

“With Derek?”

“What!?!” Stiles snapped while his face fell. “Are you serious Dad?”

“Wait, so it’s not Derek?”

“No! Her name is Beth and she’s a junior! Not Derek… _not Derek_!”

“Stiles, you’ve probably mentioned Derek at least once a day for the past two months. And they’ve become increasingly less about ‘his rocking bod’ and more about the way he helps old ladies to their cars.”

Stiles scowled. “Oh my God, I told you that once and you didn’t see it! It was adorable!”

“I don’t think Derek would like to be called adorable.”

“How would you know, you’ve never met him!”

“I’ve at least seen him around, Stiles. I am the Sherriff of this town. Maybe its time I go see a movie and meet this guy.”

“Oh my God. No, Dad. Just..no. Stop. How did we even get on this subject? Derek is a million light years out of my league and will never happen. Not to mention 23 years old. How are you even encouraging this? How is this my life? NO. We are talking about Beth.”

The Sherriff just shrugged. “He has a very nice file…”

Stiles couldn’t answer apart from violently shaking his head.

“Did you know he once saved a persons life?”

“Excuse me?”

“Yeah. There was a car accident a few years back on Highway 14. Derek happened to be a witness and was the only one who acted. He pulled a forty-year-old man from his car and performed CPR for fifteen minutes until the ambulance arrived. That man owes Derek his life.”

Stiles literally wanted to cry. “I don’t know how this became my life, but we’re going to pretend this conversation never happened. I’m going out with Beth on Friday night. We are going to go to Diamond’s for dinner and then we are going to see that _Fault in our Stars_ movie because she wants to. Be happy for me. That is the end of this conversation.”

“Whoa. Wait a second; you are bringing Beth to the movie theater? On Friday?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” Stiles ignored the hesitancy in his father’s voice.

“You have a shift on Thursday night, right?”

“Yes. Why?”

“No reason. Just so you know, you’re curfew for Friday will be midnight.”

“Dad! The movie doesn’t even end until 11:30!”

His father didn’t bother with a response. Overall, Stiles considered that conversation a colossal failure.

 

* * *

 

He was so, so not prepared for his Thursday shift.

The first person he saw when he walked into the door was Derek, standing right beside the shift assignment sheet. Today, Stiles really didn’t want to see Derek. Stupid fathers.

“Hey Derek. Where am I at today?”

“You’re ushing.”

“Yes!”

“This will only be your fourth time. Just radio me if you have any questions.”

Stiles nodded and started walked away. He probably should have deemed Derek with a response, or even looked him in the eye, but really, the conversation with his dad was too fresh in his mind. Stiles hated hope. Hope was evil and totally self-destructive.

An hour later, Stiles got radioed that their busiest movie was getting out and they were sending Derek down to help Stiles clean it. Stiles prided himself on his ability to refrain from talking to Derek. Derek, predictably, didn’t start any small talk. Maybe he had picked up on Stiles’ intentions.

Actually Stiles was pretty sure Derek had picked up on something seeing as Stiles would have normally stopped and bothered Derek five times now during their shift.

It came to a head after another hour or so.

“Stiles, can you come to the lobby please,” he heard Derek saw through his radio. It wasn’t a question.

Derek was standing in his usual place, off to the side, looking grumpier than usual.

“What can I do for you?” It was the first time Stiles actually looked at Derek’s face today.

“You can tell me what’s up with you.”

“…What do you mean?”

“I mean you are…uncharacteristically not talking to pretty much the whole staff. Is everything okay outside of work?”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “Yes Derek, everything is fine.”

He looked slightly affronted and tried again.

“It doesn’t seem so.”

“Yeah well if-” Stiles started hotly, before closing his mouth and pausing. What had he been about to say? _If you weren’t so caring about your employees I wouldn’t have to be aggressively passive aggressive? If you weren’t so crushable?_

Stiles deflated. He really shouldn’t be taking his frustrations out on Derek. He was acting like a teenage girl. Stiles _was not_ a teenage girl.

“If what?” Derek pressed. God his face actually looked worried. Like, is this really Stiles’ life right now?

“Never mind. I’m good now. Honestly, I’m - ”

“Stiles!”

Oh my God.

He turned to see his father, with Melissa at his side, approaching them. His eyes quickly flickered to Derek’s calm yet surprised face to his fathers absolutely delighted one.

“So this is Derek Hale! I’ve heard so much about you. John Stilinski, _sheriff_ of our wonderful town.” He reached out his hand, as did Derek, who still had his mouth open like a fish.

Stiles did not miss the emphasis on sheriff.

“Nice to meet you sir, Stiles talks about me?”

“Well he talks about his job. And the _perks_ it comes with.”

Stiles eyes narrowed and he shook his head behind Derek’s back.

_I will murder you_ he mouthed at his father.

“The free movies?” Derek questions.

His father grinned. “Sure, sure. You think Stiles is a good employee?”

Derek turned slightly and looked back at Stiles. Instead of a panicked, _help me_ look like he was expecting, Derek looked…oddly content.

“Stiles has been our most promising employee we’ve had in months. A year, probably.”

“Do you mean that?” Stiles murmured, for a moment forgetting his father.

“Stiles, you are ushing just three months after you started. That’s a big deal.”

Stiles couldn’t help but grin at that. Forget his dad’s meddling ways, he was an awesome employee.

“Except today though. Stiles seems…distracted.”

The glare he sent Derek could kill. Until he heard his father say, a bit too suggestively, “I wonder why,” then the glare moving on to his soon to be dead father.

“You’re going to be late for your movie _father_.”

“No worries, it doesn’t start for another ten minutes _son_.”

“I’m sure you want to go get popcorn or something.”

“We actually just had dinner.”

“We’ll you’re going to want good seats.”

“It’s a Thursday, I’m sure it won’t be too crowded.”

“You can never be too safe.”

His father tipped his head. “I could not agree with you more.”

Stiles watched as Derek’s eyebrows shot to the ceiling. He could feel his own face beating red and heating up. He groaned, grabbed his father’s arm, and started dragging him away.

“Nice to meet you Derek!” the sheriff had called over his shoulder.

“You are going to have vegetable stew for two weeks straight. I cannot believe you just did that.”

“No I’m not. I’m going to count that as payback for when you and Scott ran my cruiser into that mailbox.”

Stiles threw his head back and moaned.

“I literally cannot believe you right now. Enjoy your movie.”

“That sounded a lot like ‘don’t enjoy your movie’.”

“I can’t even.”

“Such a hip phrase.”

Stiles couldn’t help but laugh a bit. “You are ridiculous old man.”

His father smiled before leading Melissa into the theater. With his Dad gone, Stiles quickly fulfilled some ushing duties before returning to Derek’s side.

“You talk about me to your Dad?”

“You don’t talk about me to Laura?” Stiles figured that sidestepping the truth route would work best in this case.

Derek made a little humming sound of approval. Wait, what?

“But only how annoying you are and funny stories where you’ve embarrassed yourself. But I tell those to other employees too.”

Stiles laughed and elbowed Derek’s stomach.

“I’d actually be worried if you talked to more than 20 percent of the workers here.”

Derek made another agreeing sound before nodding his head.

“He seemed like a nice father though. For what it’s worth.”

“Yeah…he’s pretty awesome. If not a tad annoying on rare occasions.”

“I thought it was funny.”

“You didn’t laugh,” Stiles teased.

“Hmm, maybe next time if he told me a story of when you were a toddler. I bet there are many.”

Stiles elbowed him again. It wasn’t until later that night as he was driving out of the parking lot that Derek’s words registered in his head. What did he mean by ‘next time’?

* * *

 

According to textbook, Stiles’ first date ever went great. Beth smiled and laughed at all his jokes. She showed interest in what he was saying, as did he for her. He genuinely thought she was funny. And she was nice. And she was very cute looking; she was cute in a way that made Stiles instantly want to shield her from anything bad from the world.

But…she wasn’t…well just _but_.

“I think it’s pretty cool that you get free movies,” Beth murmured on their way to the theater.

“It is awesome,” he grinned. “Scott and I saw Captain America four times.”

“For free,” Beth returned his grin.

“For free. And working there is awesome. I seriously get to watch movies when I ush. _While getting paid_.” 

“You’re cute when you get excited.”

Stiles looked over, eyes slightly wide. Beth twinkled her nose before smiling and turned to look out her window. Stiles didn’t miss the tint of red her face showed. It was quite endearing.

Parking at the theater, Stiles quickly got out and opened Beth’s door. Sometime between his car and the door, Beth slipped her hand in his. He didn’t let go.

It’s an interesting thing: holding hands. Stiles had never done it before, though he never really gave it that much thought. Holding hands is like, the least sexual rung on the sexual ladder. Even hugs allow for more body touching than holding hands.

Yet, as Stiles walked through the main door, he felt amazing.

Until he didn’t.

Derek stood at the box office, looking up from his conversation with Laura when Stiles and Beth walked in. Stiles smiled and nodded towards him; though he faltered when Derek’s lips didn’t even so much as tilt upwards.

Instead, he just looked really, really shocked. Like, he should audition for some horror movie in Hollywood because that was what shock looked like right there.

“Hello Derek and Laura,” Stiles spoke. Laura placed her hand on Derek’s arm, a miniscule act that might have been overlooked, and squeezed.  Derek seemed to get over whatever had gotten him so shocked.

“Stiles. What are you seeing?”

“The Fault in our Stars, please. Beth wants to cry.” He turned and smiled at her, which she warmly returned. Stiles would swear he saw her eyes send a wary look Derek’s way though. Hmm, maybe they knew each other? That would have to be dissected later.

Derek punched out too pass tickets and gave them to Stiles.

“Auditorium seven. I trust that you know the way.”

Stiles hoped that was a joke. It really didn’t sound like one though. He pulled Beth along, hand itching to drop hers and fall to his side, yet he refrained. He wasn’t raised to be rude.

When he was turning the corner into his auditorium, he gave one last look up towards the box office. He caught Laura’s eyes before she quickly turned away. Hmm. Yet another thing to be analyzed…

“Those were your bosses?”

“Yeah…”

“They looked surprised. Maybe...even hurt.”

“That’s ridiculous. Why would they be hurt? Maybe they are just surprised I got myself a date.”

“You are ridiculous.”

Stiles laughed and shrugged. “Maybe. Let’s just go cry our eyes out.”

 

* * *

 

“Scott. It is 10:30 in the morning. Why the hell are you awake!”

“Dude, how did last night go!?”

“10:30 Scott. A.M.”

“Yeah well my shift starts soon and I won’t be able to call and I need to know and just COME ON AND TELL ME.”

Stiles rolled over, pulling the phone away from his ear while Scott screamed. There was a time and a place for excitement, but early on a Saturday was not one of them.

“It was great. Dinner was great. Movie was great. It was great.”

“It doesn’t sound like it was great…”

“I just woke up Scott, sorry I’m not pissing excitement.”

Scott seemed to ignore him, possibly because he knew Stiles that well.

“Seriously though, what happened?”

Stiles groaned. He really didn’t want to talk about it.

“Nothing. Just…”

“Derek?”

He rolled his eyes. He was very much considering that everybody important in his life (Scott and his father) were out to get him.

“What about Derek? What could Derek possibly have done, Scott?”

“I mean…you went to the theater with a date. Derek couldn’t have taken it well.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Same thing I _keep_ talking about. That Derek’s into you.”

“You need to stop, Scott. One of these days I’m actually going to believe you and this is going to turn out so much more worse.”

“Stiles I literally want to punch you right now. Whatever, so it was about Derek?”

“Yes, fine, whatever. Derek and Laura both acted weird when I came in last night. It made me feel…guilty. I don’t know. They were both being shady.”

“Oh maybe because, I don’t know, he wanted to be holding your hand instead!”

“How did you know he saw us holding hands?”

“HE SAW YOU HOLDING HANDS?”

“This is the most fourteen year old conversation I’ve had since I was actually fourteen. I’m hanging up now.”

“Wait, wait! Okay sorry, no more talk about the D.”

“You know that makes it sound like D stands for the dick, right.”

“Whatever, Derek, dick, they’re in the same category for you. Did you get any action last night?”

Stiles sighed, face scrunching up at the awful memory.

“No. I dropped her off and walked her to her door and told her goodnight and literally bolted. Like, we stepped on the porch, I said goodnight, and I bolted.”

“Dude, you didn’t even try going in for the kiss?”

“I’m done with this conversation. Good bye Scott.”

“Wait, okay last thing!”

“What?”

“Do you have to work tonight?”

“…yes? Why?”

“Just…good luck.”

“Oh my god Scott let it go Derek DOES NOT care. Good bye.”

 

* * *

 

 

Derek totally cared.

Or at least, that’s what Stiles assumed. For the first time in quite awhile, Derek spent almost his entire shift in the back office doing…office things. The few times he was on the floor, he gave Stiles a very wide birth.

Stiles refused to believe that it was because Derek was actually into him. Nope.

Oh god, maybe Derek was into Beth.

It was getting to be 11 pm and the last movie was about to begin. The concession stand had started closing down and Derek had been called out to help settle a customer who had some issues ordering tickets online. Stiles intercepted him on his way back to the office.

“You’re acting weird.”

Derek paused and looked at Stiles with surprise. He didn’t blame him though; he did just jump out from behind a line of customers.

“Hello Stiles. I’m not acting weird.”

“There! You don’t say ‘you’re not acting weird’ unless you actually are!”

Derek thought about that for a second before shaking his head, “that doesn’t even make sense. I have paperwork to do.”

Stiles face fell at the obvious dismissal. He stepped aside and nodded toward the ground.

“Sorry for keeping you,” he murmured. He kept his eyes on the floor as Derek started walking past. When he halted, Stiles couldn’t help but look up. Derek seemed torn, half his body turned toward the office door and half his body turned towards Stiles.

“Stiles…I just have lots of paperwork to do. I’ll be back on the floor tomorrow. You work day, right?”

“Yeah.”

“See you then.”

He didn’t see him the day after. Anna had told him that Laura had an emergency with one of her kids and that Derek had to continue doing office work for the rest of the day. He didn’t come out of the office even once.

Beth texted him later that night asking if he wanted to study with her on Tuesday. Stiles agreed, if only because he was not going to allow an imaginary relationship fabricated by his best friend and his father get in the way of pursuing an actual one.

They made out on Tuesday. It was Stiles’ first ever kiss. It was Stiles’ first ever make out session.

It didn’t feel right. He couldn’t get Derek out of his head, and Stiles didn’t think it was fair to Beth that he was thinking about somebody else. Her lips were too small. Her face was too smooth.

Stiles had spent roughly three years of his high school life wishing somebody would show an interest in him. It was a little bit fucked up that once somebody did, Stiles’ own damn morals had to keep him from actually getting any action.

It wasn’t fair to Beth. And that hurt. Stiles had been in her shoes. Is still in her shoes.

Beth pulled away slightly, searching his eyes.

“You stopped kissing back…”

He was pretty sure he looked like a kicked puppy right now.

She sighed, shrugging her shoulders and turning back to her notebook.

“I understand.”

“Beth…”

“Stiles, you are an amazing guy. I can’t believe most people don’t see that. I can’t believe whoever you’re strung up on doesn’t see that.”

“I’m sorry.”

Beth smiled a small, sad smile.

“It’s okay. Really, it is. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out. You gave me your ‘first date’ right? I feel honored.”

Stiles chuckled slightly before grinning. “That was actually my first kiss too. And first kind of make out session.”

Beth’s mouth dropped.

“Seriously. Are people blind at Beacon Hills?”

“I feel like my spastic energy turns people off.”

“Did somebody tell you that? It’s not true.”

Stiles shrugged. “Thanks for understanding,” he murmured.

“No problem. I am going to ask you to leave now though…. not to make this awkward…”

“Nope,” Stiles bounded off her bed, scrambling to gather his stuff. “Don’t you know I’m the king of awkward? You can blame all the awkwardness on me! Yep, Stiles Stilinksi, spewer of awkwardness.”

Beth nodded before turning back to her homework.

“I would definitely avoid my father on the way out though.”

Stiles gulped. “Noted.”

 

* * *

 

 

“No. Oh my gosh, I seriously need you to understand this. _The Avengers is the best movie of all time._ Yes titanic is a milestone for cinematography, but come on. So unbelievable.”

Hannah, his co-worker he was currently running box office with, would not budge. Stiles was a good half an hour into this conversation yet Hannah had still not admitted to the amazingness that was The Avengers. Stiles was clearly losing his touch.

“Listen, Hannah, my misguided friend. I’m not going to restate everything I’ve already told you. I’m just going to take the high road on this. You are capital D dumb.”

Hannah laughed and rolled her eyes. She quickly paused when Laura walked into the booth and started looking up information about movie times. She was on the phone, presumably with a customer. Hannah, after a few seconds, seemed to decide it was okay to continue their conversation.

“Whatever Stiles. Titanic wins simply for the fact that it gave me my greatest fantasy. That car scene. Wow.”

“I would love to have sex in a car,” Stiles agreed, grinning over at Laura. She shot a humored look as she shook her head.

“I bet you’d love to have sex anywhere.”

“True that. I’d love just to have sex period.”

Stiles snickered as Laura’s eyebrows rose.

“You’re way to vocal about your virginity, do you know that?”

Stiles full out laughed when Laura almost dropped the phone.

“Yes, the show times are the same for Thursday and Friday,” Laura spoke. She held up her finger for the two of them to be quiet. “Yes that’s right ten dollars. Alright we will see you Friday…Yep, have a great night…bye.”

She set the phone done and rounded on them.

“This is a family establishment. And dear God Stiles…a _virgin_?” She spoke almost as if she was pleading him not to be. Which was very odd. Stiles didn’t know if he was supposed to be offended. He felt kind of offended.

“Hey now, just because I’m not some big muscled jock that goes around - ”

“No, Stiles, I was not saying it like it was a bad thing! Just…I’m sorry. So not my place to be talking about this. I’m your manager,” she stated, all though it sounded a lot like she was telling herself that and not Stiles.

“How are you still a virgin with that girlfriend of yours?”

Both Stiles and Laura’s heads snapped over to Hannah’s.

“What girlfriend?” Stiles questioned. He ignored the (very weird) look Laura shot him.

“The one you brought to the movies last Friday? Come on Stiles I gave you your popcorn that night.”

“Oh. That was only a date. And there’s not going to be another one.”

He dared a glance over to Laura, who was nodding and smiling.

“Why are you smiling?”

She abruptly stopped and looked wide-eyed at Stiles. Total deer caught in headlights.

“I didn’t want you dating her.” She said matter of factly.

What?!? _Why the hell did she care?_ Stiles voiced these concerns.

“Employees always change their availability when they get into relationships. They always want Saturday and Friday nights off for date nights. Every single week. That doesn’t fly. Oh hello Derek!”

Stiles and Hannah wheeled around to see Derek stopping in his tracks. It was clear to Stiles that he had just been making a beeline past the box office and to the manager’s office.

Stiles felt kind of dizzy. After not seeing much of the Hale siblings for a week, it was kind of brain jamming to have both them together in the same spot at once.

Derek’s eyes narrowed, however, at everyone’s faces.

“Why are you looking at me like that? What were you just talking about?”

Stiles was about to open his mouth to say nothing when Laura spoke first.

“Stiles’ _intact_ virginity.”

_Excuse me. Oh hell no._

“Laura! Worker’s rights,” Stiles hissed. “I’m calling OHSA.”

He looked back at Derek and glared. He was not expecting the slight red tinge that covered the man’s face.

So. Embarrassing.

“Also about how his date last Friday didn’t go so well. Looks like that relationship didn’t last.”

Stiles turned his glare back to Laura, full force.

“It wasn’t a relationship and I don’t want to talk about it and you’re being extremely unprofessional.”

Laura just smiled and shrugged. “Remember when you used our nacho cheese and created a line between you and Edward with it? _On the floor_? That was unprofessional.”

“So not the point! But yeah…I thought I was going to get fired for that. Good thing Derek stepped in.”

For the first time in weeks, Stiles saw Derek smile.

“Hey, I was pretty mad too. Do you know who had to mop that night? Me,” Derek retorted. God, he missed Derek’s retorts.

Wow, retort was a weird word. _Focus Stiles_.

“Edward had just - ”

“Told you he didn’t think he’d ever watch Game of Thrones,” Derek finished for him. “We know. So not worth making a mess of the stand.”

Stiles grinned. “You smelt like cheese the day afterwards.”

Derek’s face faltered for a second. “You remembered that?”

_Oh shit._

“Dude you reeked. Everybody remembers that.”

“I don’t.” Hannah helpfully supplied.

“Neither do I,” Laura pointed out.

“Can I please order my damn tickets!?”

All four of them whirled around. Laura, probably feeling most at fault, rushed into action.

“Oh my gosh I’m so sorry ma’am! Movie is on the house today. What would you like to see? I’m so sorry.”

Stiles raised his eyebrow and glanced over at Derek. He just shrugged and smiled. “She’s still kind of new at the whole manager thing,” he murmured, before shooting Stiles a wink and heading over to the office.

Holy shit, his boss just winked at him. The last ten minutes had been so unprofessional, but Stiles truly didn’t care.

Derek visited the stand five more times before the end of Stiles’ shift. He argued with Hannah about Titanic’s faults, talked to Stiles about his first round of midterms, and told both of them about an irate customer he had a few days ago.

It was probably Stiles’ best shift yet.

 

* * *

 

 

“I feel like she should do something about her baby,” Stiles murmured to Derek; eyes trained on the toddler that was currently running around the lobby holding up a bag of cotton candy.

“I feel like maybe _we_ should be doing something about her baby,” Derek replied, also memorized by the three-foot wall of terror.

“Nah dude, look at the mom. Total bitch mom right there. We touch her child, she’s going to go ape shit.”

Derek hummed. “Well we definitely don’t want that.”

“Right, cause no animals allowed in the theater.”

“That was a terrible joke and I’m embarrassed for you.”

“It’s okay I enjoyed it. Did you see that?”

“Yeah. She totally looked at her kid and then looked away.”

“She better be paying for that cotton candy.”

“That guy in line four just picked his nose.”

“Seriously, and I missed it!”

Derek laughed. “He’s still going at it.”

“Ohhhh get it grandpa!”

“Stiles, the kid is coming towards us.”

“If we don’t move it won’t be able to see us.”

“It’s not a dinosaur.”

“Did you just watch Jurassic Park too!?”

Derek didn’t say anything, he just crouched down at the little guys eye level and murmured “your moms over there buddy. Make sure to remind her to pay for the cotton candy and that the gentlemen with the suit hopes you have a good movie. Can you do that for me?”

Derek mock saluted the little boy, who looked a lot like the universe was just handed to him. He mock saluted back, before marching right over to where his mother was and handing her the cotton candy.

“I’m torn from finding that completely adorable to brilliantly passive aggressive at the same time. I’m gonna go with the adorable though.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Wait, are you serious? This would be like _the best job ever_.”

Laura huffed. “Yes Stiles, I’m being serious.”

It was two weeks before Halloween (Stiles fucking loved Halloween), and Paranormal Activity 5 just came out. Since it was opening weekend, the movie was pulling in massive crowds. Massive crowds of noisy, movie interrupting tweens, that is.

“So you want me to sit in the far back corner and just watch the movie? Over and over _the whole night_.”

“No. You’re watching the patrons and making sure they are not talking, being disruptive, or on their cell phones.”

Stiles’ smile was borderline creepy.

“I’m going to kick so many people out.”

“And you’re comfortable with that?” She questioned, hands on her hips.

Stiles looked at her questionably. “Umm, hell yeah. I love kicking people out of the theater. Yes, yes don’t give me that look! Of course I’ll give them a warning first.”

“Good. And don’t swear.”

“Remember that time you talked about my sex life with your employees.”

Laura rolled her eyes. He loved this game though. The two of them have probably played it seven or eight times since the incident in question.

“Remember that time you told a customer they looked terrible in the blouse they were wearing and that they needed to use less make-up?”

“Yeah that was only three days ago.”

Laura gave him a pointed stare. “You’re lucky I like you and you’re a great worker. I could fire you so fast though.”

Stiles preened. “Unlikely!”

After three rounds of Paranormal, Stiles only got to kick out two groups of people. He kicked out the first group because those little fuckers actually continued talking and texting (Stiles was pretty sure they were texting _each other_ ) after Stiles had warned them.

The other group simply told Stiles to fuck off the first time he came down to talk to them. Kicking them out was extremely satisfying.

When the final movie got out, Stiles waited for all the patrons to exit before he made his departure. So what if he walked with a little bounce to his step. That was awesome. He spotted Derek doing some kind of paper work at the box office and, after checking to see that the vending stand didn’t need any help, sauntered over.

“Enjoy Paranormal Activity, I take it?” Derek murmured, only giving Stiles half his attention. His brow was slightly creased as he was looking between whatever his sheet told him and what the box office CT was displaying. Something must have been wrong.

“You heard where I was? Yeah, I got to kick out a total of nine people. Nine people Derek! I swear, the look on some of their faces. I’m pretty sure I actually struck the fear of God in some of them. I need to go thank Laura.”

“What did she do?” Derek was violently punching out numbers on the CT. Stiles was fairly sure he had only heard maybe 50 percent of what he had just said.

“She put me on special duty, duh?”

“What the fuck is wrong with this,” Derek muttered, eyes returning to the paper. “I made the shift placement today, Stiles.”

“You put me on PA duty?”

“I thought you’d enjoy it.”

Stiles felt a warmth of…. something course through him. He smiled and looked back to the concession stand. He was pretty sure he had never seen Derek talk to half of those people. He felt special.

“You’re awesome. Thank you.”

Derek seemed to be mostly distracted still, so with his eyes looking away, Stiles kind of blurted out “do you want to come to my soccer game this Tuesday?”

Derek stopped what he was doing and faced Stiles. He looked surprised, fortunately leaning toward the pleasant side.

“I didn’t even know you played soccer.”

“I don’t really. My lacrosse coach makes us either do cross country or soccer in the fall, and never again am I doing cross country. Turns out I’m not… _that_ horrible at soccer. We have a game on Tuesday. You should come.” And then, realizing how it may be weird to just invite Derek, Stiles added “I’m inviting Laura too by the way.”

Derek nodded, seeming to process all the information. Finally, he grinned.

“Well, Tuesdays are pretty slow around here.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Stiles, if you look up at the bleachers one more time I’m going to kick this ball at your face.”

“I thought they’d come,” he murmured, more to himself than to Scott.

“Stiles, we still have ten minutes of warm ups, _which you’re sucking at by the way_ , so they have time. Please focus, I need someone who _passes the ball back_.”

“Oh my God, you’re so needy.” He tried to focus on warming up; on getting the ball right were he wanted it and trying to predict where Scott would put it. But, Stiles had to agree with Scott, he was doing terrible. He’d scan the bleachers every minute or so, only to curse himself for both doing it and for not finding anything.

Finding anyone, he means.

Finstock blew the whistle and warm up was over. Stiles only paid half attention to his pep talk ( _today is the first day of the rest of your lives!)_ before finally closing his eyes and telling himself it didn’t matter. He was actually okay at soccer; he needed to focus.

Stiles took to the far left of the field, preparing to run across the middle line and be open for a pass. He wanted to be bold. He wanted to make the first goal. Maybe even only to spite the Hales. He was going to give them a performance they would be sorry for missing.

He barely heard the whistle blow, he took off and streaked past two of the opposing teams players. His head spun slightly as the ball bounced between Rodgers, Scott, and Adam, all three of them having a hard time sidestepping their opponents.

Stiles groaned when number 12 stole the ball from Adam, kicking it closer and closer to Beacon Hills’ goal.

The guy couldn’t shoot for shit though. Danny easily caught the ball, and his impressive kick sent the ball straight into Stiles’ territory.

Jasper took control of it, pushing closer and closer to the opponent’s goal. Stiles was getting ready, and just as it looked like Jasper was going to take a shot (meaning 32, the guy guarding Stiles, had let his guard down) he passed it straight to Stiles instead.

Stiles made the goal. The crowd erupted and he couldn’t stop smiling. Scott jumped on him, and Stiles couldn’t help but laugh and pat his back.

“Look at the middle of the bleachers, left side.”

He did. And there, just five rows below where his father was, sat Derek, Laura, and two little girls. Stiles immediately recognized them as Laura’s kids. They both sported little signs that read _Stiles is #1_ in bright pink glitter paint, and both were waving them around frantically.

Stiles caught Derek’s eye and he grinned. Derek gave a little nod (because of course his testosterone would only allow himself a stupid bro nod) before smiling. Lily was nestled in his lap, and the way she was flailing her sign around meant Derek kept disappearing and reappearing in his vision.

The picture was quite memorable, and it made Stiles feel 10 times better than making any kind of goal did.

Stiles was so, _so_ screwed.

He chanced a glance at his father. He was staring right at Stiles with a huge, pleased (with himself) grin on his face. He made a movement with his hands, as if he was presenting Stiles with the Hale family, then did this ridiculous victory dance.

If any of the town had seen it, his father would have instantly lost half the street cred being the sheriff gave him. Stiles loved it.

The rest of the game went by without much action. He did make a brilliant save with his head during the second half that made the crowd go crazy again, though he had to be benched for five or so minutes while his brain felt a little fuzzy.

When the game was over it was 3 to 1, and Stiles welcomed the crowd as it (casually, this was still only soccer) came on to the field.

“Stiles, Stiles, Stiles!” The two girls ran up to him, crowding his legs and flailing their signs around.

“Do you see?”

“Do you like them?”

“I hope the glitter made it easier to see!”

“Do you like pink?”

“Mom was so impressed!”

“And Uncle Derek!”

“Those signs are beautiful! Did you make them yourselves?” Stiles mock questioned. The two girls preened. Mary, the older one, sighed.

“I made most of it, Stiles. But Lily did help I suppose.”

“Let’s go show everybody else!” Stiles looked alarmingly at Lily, who already was making her way to a complete stranger, brandishing the sign with pride. Mary quickly followed.

Laura, who was standing slightly to the side, quickly stepped forward. She gave Stiles a quick one-armed hug, whispered “you were great,” before running off to corral her kids.

Stiles looked up at Derek. He couldn’t help if his face turned red a bit. How was it not a bit of an awkward situation?

“You were really good.” Derek murmured, stepping closer.

Screw it, Stiles thought. He said thanks as he also stepped forward, pulling Derek into a hug.

Which, wow. First time Stiles got his hands on Derek.  Dude was built of muscle. He was pretty sure Derek was twice his body mass, and Stiles probably _still_ had more fat on his body.

Derek was tense for only half a second, before relaxing and pulling Stiles in.

And, oh. When he flexed those muscles? Time for a cold shower. That’s totally acceptable and not eyebrow rising after a soccer game, right?

“Thanks for coming,” he murmured when he pulled back. Derek let him go. Stiles wished he hadn’t.

“You seriously were amazing.”

Stiles blushed a bit…more. “I made one goal and had one really good block. Otherwise I kind of just stood around.”

“Well then you stood around better than anybody else did.”

Hopefully his tomato face could just pass for the exertion of soccer, because really, Derek was killing him right now.

Stiles shrugged again, trying to look as unaffected as possible. He was sure he failed spectacularly. He scanned the crowd and saw his Dad making his way towards them. Oh shit. No way was he having a repeat of what happened last time his father and Derek occupied the same space.

“Okay! Well, got to go, thanks for coming, Derek!” He moved in for another hug (it was a lot easier the second time), before quickly pulling back.

“Wait, Stiles, one thing.”

Stiles raised his eyebrows.

“I noticed you didn’t ask off for Christmas Eve. You need to do that, like, tomorrow if you don’t want to get scheduled.”

He shrugged. “My dad has to work 5 pm on Christmas Eve to 5 am on Christmas morning. I don’t usually do anything on Christmas Eve. I’d rather just work, if you’re making the schedule. Got to go though!”

Stiles left Derek with one more wave and sought out his father. He was pretty sure his euphoria had nothing to do with winning the game.

 

* * *

 

 

Stiles didn’t think any amount of preparation would have made him any more prepared for meeting the Hale family. He would’ve loved some notice, of course, but he had to work with what he got.

He shouldn’t have walked into the lobby.

He had his eyes dead set on a popcorn spill in front of station two. He was walking past a particularly loud family when a hand shot out and touched his arm.

“You’re Stiles!”

Stiles flailed a bit, turned towards the family and quickly scanned their faces. Did he know them? How did they know _him_?

The only thing he registered was how unfair life was, because this mother, father, and son were very, _very_ attractive. The mother looked instantly familiar, dark hair and perfect cheekbones a ghost of a face Stiles had already seen. The son, and father for that matter, had the same hard jaw and posture of somebody Stiles knew too.

“I’m Stiles.” Wow, what a brilliant thing to say. “What can I do for you?”

The mother smiled, instantly scanning his face in a way that made Stiles feel like he was being analyzed.

“Stiles, it’s nice to meet you. You’re adorable.”

He just got called adorable by some middle-aged mom in the middle of a movie theater while he was working. Umm…

“I can’t believe he’s _my age_ , Mom. This isn’t weird to you? Also, where’s his muscle definition?”

Stiles raised his eyebrows before bursting into a laugh. The mom had smacked her son on the back of his and whispered, “don’t be rude.”

The father seemed to push his way past his wife and extended a hand. “Since these too are clueless, let me do introductions. I’m Vince. This is my wife Thalia and our son Mike.”

Stiles took the offered hand and tried to seem like he wasn’t panicking. Seriously, the hell was going on here? This random family just stops him and –

“Dad, what the hell are you doing?”

Stiles’ eyes snapped up to Derek, who seemed to have just materialized out of nowhere by his side.

“Dad?” Stiles sputtered out. He dropped Vince’s hand, only to look back up at him with wide eyes.

“You forgot to tell him we’re the Hales!” Vince shot at his wife.

“Excuse me, you were doing introductions.” She shot back.

“Oh my God this is your family Derek.” Stiles had thought he had spoken quietly, but all four Hales had turned to look at him. He instantly reddened.

“Umm..sorry, it’s just, this is great. You all are bickering and it’s awesome and you’ve all said more words than I got out of Derek my entire first two weeks on the job.”

Derek’s glare, towards his family not Stiles, was priceless. Stiles wondered why he was glaring, though, because both Papa and Mama Hale were beaming at Stiles. Mike was just rolling his eyes.

“Don’t you have a movie to catch, family?” Derek gritted out. Stiles was hit with Deja-vu.

“Derek this is just like that time my father came in and introduced himself! How funny is that?”

“You’ve met his parents, Derek?” Mike’s snicker was apparent.

“Parent, Mike,” Thalia corrected, causing Stiles’ eyebrows to shoot up. “Be a bit more respectful.”

“Umm, how did you know that?”

“Laura talks about you all the time,” she hummed, sending a warm smile that absolutely warmed his insides. “You’re practically her favorite employee.”

“Derek, you heard that right? Tell me you heard that. I have to go write that down somewhere.”

The Hales, minus Derek, laughed and Vince reached out to pat him on the shoulder.

“It was nice meeting you, Stiles.”

He watched the family make there way over to the soda stations, not caring that he was blatantly staring. His mouth twitched into a smile when Thalia play shoved Mike before wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

“Can we pretend that never happened?”

“Nope. Not a chance. That was the best. Committing it to memory. Will never forget. Your parents love me. _Your parents love me_.”

Derek just sighed and hanged his head. “Laura,” he grumbled. Stiles watched as he stormed towards the office and couldn’t help but laugh. She was about to get a bucket load of sassy Derek. He did not envy her. 

 

* * *

 

 

Thanksgiving came and went with nothing new or noteworthy. Stiles couldn’t help but notice his father’s…insistence that Scott and Melissa join them for dinner. He wondered when his Dad was going to grow the balls and just tell him that him and Melissa were considering dating, if not already. Had he been a good son, he may have just made it clear he already knew. Torturing his father was much more fun, however.

He briefly considered asking him if they could invite Derek over, before deciding against it. Whatever friendship they had created probably didn’t warrant having the other over for holidays. Besides, Stiles was fairly sure Derek spent the holidays with Laura and her family.

Two weeks before Christmas, Stiles noticed he was scheduled for a Monday night shift. He was never scheduled for Monday nights. Why? The theater was never busy enough to need a enough employees. Which could only mean one thing.

School group.

“We totally have a school group today, don’t we?” Stiles yawned, sliding up to Derek and peaking at the placement sheet. Score. He was ushing. At least he didn’t have to deal with the indecisive brats at the concession stand. 

Okay, he really shouldn’t call them brats. Only 95 percent of them were brats. The other well-behaved don’t-leave-a-mess-behind-and-scream-in-the-lobby kids were angels.

But still. 95 percent.

“Yep. One at Seven. Special showing of the Nativity Scene. Yip-de-do.”

Stiles chuckled before grabbing the placement sheet and checking whom else was working. He hummed. Not that bad of a staff.

“I don’t understand why they would have a field trip during the night.”

“It’s for the catholic middle school in the next town over. Apparently they have some overnight lock in and apart of it is going to the movies.”

“They should just stay in their town,” Stiles murmured, flipping past the placement sheet and re-checking the schedule. He felt the ghost of Derek’s hand on his back before tensing up. The weight didn’t remain.

“They don’t have a movie theater Stiles.”

“Well, that’s not my fault. I had important things to do tonight.”

“Like what?”

“Like watching the marathon of Lord of the Rings on Syfy.”

“You don’t own them?”

“Of course I own them.”

Derek scrunched up his face and looked to the side.

“But…” Stiles didn’t wait for him to finish; he just laughed, patted Derek’s cheek, than ran off to get punched in.

He was only halfway across the lobby when he realized he just _patted Derek’s cheek_. What the hell was he thinking! He spun around, eyes wide and ready to apologize, when he spotted Derek smiling down at the schedule. Actually smiling.

Stiles was pretty sure that moment was going to make his whole shift worth it.

It didn’t.

Only five minutes after the school group arrived Stiles was ready to pull his hair out. It wasn’t just middle school kids; it was third through fifth grade kids too. And those little shits were crazy.

“Please walk sir!”

“I saw you take those M&M’s, you’re going to need to pay for those!”

“Remain calm in line, kids!”

“No, that is not the trash.”

“Really? You’re just going to throw the popcorn everywhere? _Really_?”

“Please don’t… oh fuck it all.”

Stiles was about ready to quit. He just caught three boys pooling water from the sinks in the bathroom in their hands and throwing it at each other. He decided he was wrong. They were 100 percent brats. All of them. Every single one.

When they were finally (FINALLY) situated in their movie, Stiles breathed a sigh of relief and started cleaning the lobby of…everything. He was pretty sure they didn’t even sell french fries, yet there was still one lying on the floor.

Making his way back to the bathrooms to double check that all the water was mopped up, an elderly teacher walked out of the school group theater with a small boy in her hand. Stiles’ heart immediately clenched.

He was probably only nine or ten years old. He was rolling a little oxygen tank with the hand that wasn’t holding the women’s, and two little tubes went into his nostrils. His face was red and pained.

“Ma’am?” Stiles immediately halted. “What can I get you? Do I need to call 911?”

She looked at him approvingly before shaking her head.

“He just needs to get out of there for a bit. Maybe a place in the lobby.”

Stiles nodded before turning and leading her into the lobby and into one of the corners. He indicated one of the cushy seats and the women guided the boy down.

“It’s okay Willy, you can go ahead and cough now. Be as loud as you want. Go own…there you go.”

Sounds like that should not come out of such a small kid. Stiles felt something inside of him coil, and momentarily felt a red-hot anger toward how cruel the world could be.

“Just so you’re prepared,” Stiles turned away to murmur into his radio. He didn’t really want the kid to feel embarrassed. “We might need medical assistance for one of the school group boys.” He was trained that if a patron was ever in medical distress, a manager was to be notified immediately.

“Is everything okay?” He heard Anna question.

“I’ll handle it,” he heard Derek’s crackly, radio voice say. It really shouldn’t have calmed him as much as it did. “Where are you Stiles?”

“In the lobby. One of the corners.” He turned back toward the boy, dropping to his knees so he was crouching eye level in front of him. The boy, Willy was it, had tears leaking down his cheeks.

He took a few more moments to cough up whatever was in is throat before resorting to just staring at the floor between Stiles’ knees.

“This always happens,” he mutters. The teacher was rubbing his back soothingly. Willie looked like he was taking no comfort from the action.

Stiles shouldn’t ask. He really shouldn’t.

“What always happens, kid?” _Damnit_.

Willy’s eyes rose towards him and gave him the most adorable glare ever.

“I never get to…do what everybody else does. I can’t even watch a movie…” He started coughing again, and the teacher’s shushing sounds were back.

“I told Julie I was going to make it through the whole movie…”

“Julie, huh?”

The kid faltered before nodding. “I told her I love movies. The theater. Sometimes the attacks just come on though.”

Stiles paused, looking at the kid and thinking. An Idea popped into his head.

“Hey! Willy, I have an idea! How about we go above the theater and see the projection room? Bet you can’t say you’ve seen a projector before.”

Willy’s face instantly brightened. His hands started rubbing together in circles, almost as if he needed to get his excitement out through the mashing of them.

“Are you serious?”

“Hell – _heck_ ,” Stiles amended, throwing an apologetic look towards the chaperone, “yeah I am. I just need to find my manager and clear it with him.”

Stiles stood up, turned around, and promptly flailed backwards.

“Derek! How long have you been there?! I almost… Oh my go- _sh_.” Stiles grabbed his heart, silently cursing both Derek and his inability to say most of his vocabulary in his current company.

Willy was laughing at him. At least he could humor somebody.

He paused, however, when he noticed the way Derek was looking at him. His eyes were wide, almost as if he was discovering something very, very big.

“Derek? Are you okay? You look odd? I take it you heard everything I said? Can I give Willy a tour?”

He indicated the young boy, who quickly pulled his oxygen tank between his legs and gave Derek the most adorable puppy dog look he’s ever seen. Stiles could have melted. And he had thought Scott was good at that look.

Derek finally snapped out of it and gave Willy a smile.

“Would that be alright ma’am?” Derek asked the chaperone. Who, Stiles noticed, looked as if she was enjoying the show.

“I need to go with, of course.” She said. She didn’t hide her excitement very well.

Derek nodded. “And I will too. Seeing as Stiles probably doesn’t know the difference between the projector and the flash bulb.”

“The what?”

“Exactly.”

Derek led them to the projection room door, unlocking it and indicating for them to go first. Stiles led the way, carrying Willy’s oxygen tank up the stairs.

Honestly, this was Stiles first time up here too. He kind of fan-boyed along with Willy and the still yet unnamed chaperone. He should really ask about that.

Derek gave them a quick tour. At one point he knelt down to Willy’s eye level and indicated the different buttons the lower half of the projector consisted of.

Stiles thought Willy’s face was worth a million dollars. He also thought Derek’s face watching Willy be so satisfied was priceless.

He was so gone.

“So you’re telling me,” Willy questioned, “that this projector is the one for the theater my school is in?”

“Yep,” Derek nodded.

“So if I made bunny ears everyone would see?”

Derek narrowed his eyes. “I suppose.”

A pause.

“So can I?”

“While you guys were talking,” Stiles stepped in, holding a piece of paper between his hands. “I was kind of cutting this up.”

He smiled at both Derek and Willy.

He held it out. “It’s a paper cutout of the words WILLY WAS HERE.”

“Stiles! How did you make that?”

Stiles shrugged. “You were talking about the lighting for literally ten minutes. I got bored.”

Willy stared at the paper like it was Christmas come two weeks early. Stiles sort of figured that was a really good analogy.

“Now everyone will believe you when you tell them you got a tour of the theater. You will literally be the coolest.”

“Can I, Derek?” Willy looked back with wide eyes, puppy face back on full power.

Stiles looked up at Derek too, curling his lip and giving the best puppy dog look in his own arsenal. He was pretty sure he didn’t look half as cute as Willy.

Than again, it was when Derek looked at Stiles that he caved.

“All right, fine. But only for a few seconds. Laura is not going to be happy.”

 

* * *

 

“Bye Willy! Stop back at the theater if you want another tour!”

Stiles waved. He couldn’t help but grin at all the small faces that turned between Willy and himself. They were now looking at the younger boy as if he was somebody completely different.

He jumped again when he realized Derek was standing next to him.

“Seriously dude, when the hell did this sneaking up shit start? My heart cannot take it.”

Derek was just looking at him in the same way he did before. It set Stiles on edge.

“You still want to work Christmas Eve night?”

Stiles, momentarily confused by the sudden change in topic, crinkled his eyebrows.

“Oh, yeah. For sure. Are you going to be working?”

“I’m the head assistant manager. I’m always working.”

“You never know. It’s Christmas Eve. You could have plans...”

“I need to cover for Laura so she can be with her family. I usually head over there afterwards though. I was thinking about scheduling myself for a locking shift though. Would you be interested?”

“In a locking shift! Hell yeah! I thought you had to be eighteen though?”

“Technically, yes. But I make the schedule. So…”

Stiles didn’t really have to think about it. It was either be here at the theater, getting paid to be with Derek, or be by himself at home.

The choice was obvious.

“I definitely want to lock. It will be our own personal Christmas Eve, right?”

He meant it jokingly, but the crinkle in Derek’s eye’s and mouth made him pause.

“I look forward to it.”

Stiles had never heard Derek sound so serious before.

 

* * *

 

On Christmas Eve, Stiles bounded up to Derek and excitedly saluted him.

“Good evening, good sir! I believe you are teaching me how to lock on this fine winters night?”

Derek looked up with his eyebrows raised.

“You’re in the vending stand first.”

He deflated slightly. “But I’m locking. Isn’t that…something special? I thought you said it was just me and you!”

“It is. At like eleven thirty tonight when all the other employees leave. Until then, we put you in the vending stand. You’re one of the few employees who actually try to upsell our new holiday drinks.”

“That’s totally your indirect way of saying I’m the bomb.”

Derek shrugged. “Well I’m not saying it’s not.”

“You’re ridiculous. At least tell me now what to expect tonight.”

“Well you know how everybody basically leaves fifteen minutes after the last movie starts and when the vending stand is closed, right?”

“Yes. That’s how it’s always been. Except one person stays.”

“Yep. That’s the locker. That’s you. Basically you just go around and give exit greetings as each movie gets out. You don’t have to clean them. We have a janitor staff that comes in around three in the morning everyday to do that. You just make sure everybody exits the theater and that nobody is staying behind.”

“Sounds dangerous. And exciting. Actually, mostly boring. There’s a lot of time between those movies. What am I supposed to do?”

“I told you to bring a book.”

“Like I read outside of class.”

“You have your cell phone.”

Stiles huffed. “Fine. I’m going to go sell a ridiculous amount of peppermint mochas now. Only because I get a weird, weird amount of satisfaction for being a good employee. Seriously though, I should be a rebel more often.”

Derek quirked his lips and shook his head. It was in the stupidly, stupidly endearing way that made Stiles just want to lick the stubble off his face.

The night went by quickly. It was Christmas Eve, so the theater was very full. He sold a total of 37 peppermint mochas, and, if anyone asked, the little piece of paper with tally marks that was next to his station _did not_ belong to him.

“Have a great Christmas, Stiles!”

“Enjoy locking!”

“See you next Wednesday, Stiles!”

Stiles waved to them all, putting on his suit jacket and grabbing his usher schedule. He had eight minutes before he needed to grab a movie.

It was weird being in the lobby by himself. Even during the slow times, Stiles was always surrounded by other employees. Now, everything was eerily quiet. No popcorn popper making a whirring. No hum of the vending stand’s fans.

“Have a great night, Stiles.”

Stiles jumped and grabbed his heart. He whirled around to so Anna smiling at him. She had changed into her street clothes, and one hand was on her hip and the other was waving her phone around. She giggled, before her face morphed into a wicked smile. Honestly, it kind of creeped Stiles out.

“Why are you smiling like that?”

“Oh no reason. I hope you have a _great_ night.” Her accent on great was alarming.

“Uh…you too?”

“Thanks. Goodbye Stiles.”

Stiles eyed her carefully before he made his way to auditorium three. He recognized a few people as they excited the theater, even stopping to have a chat with his middle school English teacher.

He didn’t see much of Derek, but that was to be expected. From what he understood, the assistant manager that was on the locking shift had to stay in the office and finish up the day’s record keeping and count all the money.

He was halfway done with his movies when a thought struck him. He immediately scolded himself for not realizing it sooner. They were the only employees in the theater, which meant they were the only employees with a radio…

“Paging Doctor Stubble, this is Doctor six-pack. What’s your location?”

Stiles waited a few seconds before a static voice filled his ear.

“Do you even have a six-pack?”

“Of course not. I’m seventeen. But that’s off topic Doctor Stubble, we have a 3312 in sector 4 of the theater.”

“What’s a 3312 and where’s sector 4 of the theater?” Derek didn’t sound alarmed. Only amused.

“3312 is a bored employee and sector 4 is right next to auditorium 4. Come on Doctor Stubble.”

“Okay, Doctor Big Mouth, I have a 1198 in sector office.”

“Sector office? That’s like, the least creative name for the managers office. Also, I’m guessing 1198 is something along the lines of a busy manager? An annoyed manager? You can act dude, but I see right through you.”

There was a pause.

“Don’t call me dude. It’s Doctor Stubble.”

Stiles burst out laughing and almost flailed when his auditorium door opened.

“Got to go,” he murmured into his walkie-talkie. “Sector 4 is getting out.”

At roughly 1: 45 in the morning, Stiles’ last movie let out. He belatedly realized it was Christmas, and offered such to the patrons. They all smiled happily and returned his Merry Christmas.

After checking the theater, Stiles made his way to the lobby. It was official. The theater was completely empty except for himself and Derek.  Again, the eerie quietness spooked Stiles slightly. He found Derek, already dressed in his street clothes (sinfully tight blue jeans and a dark blue Henley) standing next to the box office. Stiles couldn’t look away.

“All clear.” Derek looked up at Stiles and his face softened.

Literally softened. In a way Stiles had never seen. Now that he looked close enough, Derek definitely had a posture that screamed something’s up.

“You look kind of nervous,” Stiles finally put his finger on the look.

Derek’s lips quirked. “Not nervous, more just…ready. Go change into your street clothes.”

Stiles tilted his head and gave him a calculating stare. When Derek didn’t budge, Stiles shrugged and started walking towards the employee changing room. “Should I punch out?” He called over his shoulder.

“Yeah.”

When he made his way out of the room, Derek was patiently waiting by the door.

“You can leave your stuff here for now. I got you a Christmas present.”

His heart immediately started picking up speed. Christmas present? Derek acting weird? _What had he been ready for_?

“I didn’t get you anything,” Stiles squeaked, stepping closer to Derek.

“That’s alright,” Derek put a hand in the middle of his back and started leading him to theater three.

“My present is in auditorium three?” Stiles questioned, “You’re not about to murder me, are you?”

Derek rolled his eyes and pushed him forward. He went with a little huff, stopping to make an exaggerated display of straightening out his hoodie before opening the doors of the auditorium and heading in.

“Why is the Call of Duty soundtrack playing?” When he rounded the corner, his jaw literally dropped to the floor. The start menu, bigger than he’d ever imagined seeing it, was displayed on the theater screen.

It had to be fifty times bigger than Stiles’ TV at home. At least.

“Derek…” He whispered. He felt Derek next to him; a solid presence only inches away. “How did you know? This is amazing. I can’t… oh my God Derek, how’d you know?”

Derek smiled and looked at his feet.

“You told me. The first day we ugh…introduced each other…remember? You said one of your dreams was to play Call of Duty on the big screen. Well…Merry Christmas.”

He was speechless. Derek remembered that? That was at least five, probably six months ago. No way.

No way.

He had been so stupid.

“God damnit Derek Hale,” he grabbed Derek by his Henley and pulled him down. Derek looked surprised but obliged.

It felt good. Not so much when their lips met, because yes, that was amazing. Not when Derek slipped his tongue inside of Stiles and literally stole his breath away, because yeah, that was amazing too.

No, what felt good was the feeling of _yes, this was right_.

Stiles finally pulled away, panting against Derek’s mouth in what would be an embarrassing way if Derek wasn’t panting right back. They were pressed up against each other, and Stiles could feel a hard stiffness pushing against him.

“You’re shaking,” Derek whispered against his ear. Another tremor ripped through his body at the sensation.

“In a good way. This is…kind of a lot.”

Stiles kept his grasp on Derek, one on his bicep and one on his neck, refusing to pull away.

“I want you,” Derek whispered again. Somebody really needed to tell him that his lips grazing Stiles’ ear was doing very, very naughty things. “In every definition of the word.”

“Why…why did you wait? You should have said something.”

Derek laughed. Not so much filled with humor, but something else. Something dark. Something sexual.

“God I wanted to Stiles. But you’re seventeen. I was going to wait till you were eighteen, at least. But then Beth happened…and then my family loved you. And God, the way you were with that kid the other day. You’re so fucking special it hurts to just look at you.”

Stiles’ head was spinning. He wasn’t sure if it was his arousal, his heart hammering along to the meaning of Derek’s words, or the fact that it was two in the morning.

“Oh my God stop talking,” he made to reach for Derek again but he was already there, slamming their mouths together and _taking_. He whirled them around and pushed Stiles up against the wall, lifting him slightly so that Stiles was forced to wrap his legs around his waist.

Derek was just…so much. God, it was like Stiles was realizing for the first time. Derek Hale was a _man_. A beast. He was holding Stiles up effortlessly.

“Okay, okay, okay!” Stiles moaned, moving his head back. Derek had started rutting slightly, and Stiles had gotten a very, very good idea of how thick and huge he was. As soon as he lifted his mouth however, Derek started attacking his neck, his throat. Stiles withered.

“I have a Christmas present for you too,” he choked out. Derek hummed but he didn’t stop.

“We have to get out of here. Please. I want to give it to you, but not _here_.”

Derek finally paused his administrations, removing his mouth from Stiles’ neck and looking up at where he was hoisted above him.

“Stiles...”

“I want to give you my virginity. Merry Christmas.”

Derek recoiled slightly, and Stiles was very confused. He felt his feet touch the ground and his back slide down tbe wall.

“Derek...”

He looked pained. “You can’t joke about that stuff, Stiles. Making out is one thing…you’re seventeen,” he pleaded weakly.

“I’m old enough to decide that I’ve wanted you for the past six months, and it’s so beyond just sex now that it’s infuriating. I want the whole package, just so we’re clear. You’re coming over tomorrow for Christmas and everything.”

Derek raised his eyebrows. God, they were so expressive. He placed a hand on Stiles cheek, caressing it lightly.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured.

“There is literally nobody else that I want to be my first Derek. Please. Let me have this.”

“Let you have this,” Derek breathed, shaking his head. He sounded as if he had run a mile. “Stiles, you would be letting _me_ have it. That’s…the biggest gift you could give. I don’t deserve it.”

He could tell Derek was pleading. But he was a man after all, and his resolve was fading by the second.

Stiles leaned up and placed a small kiss on his lips.

“Take me home, Derek. I don’t want to spend Christmas Eve alone.”

Derek looked at him, and Stiles had to swallow. There was something in his eyes. Like he adored Stiles. Like if he asked Derek something right now, he was pretty sure the man would unquestionably do it.

“Please, take me home.”

Derek nodded, pulling Stiles into a hug and whispering, “I spent six months waiting for you Stiles. I want you to know I’m in this for the long run too.”

 

* * *

 

 

Stiles pulled Derek through his door by his hand. He jumped a little when Derek tugged him around and pushed him back against it only seconds later.

“Hey you,” Stiles breathed, hands coming up and almost caressing Derek’s face. It was a lot softer than he imagined it.

He brushed his lips against his stubbly chin and basked in Derek’s moan.

“I noticed you parked next to me,” Stiles nibbled. His hips shook slightly, cantering upwards to meet Derek’s. From what Stiles could feel (and to his immense satisfaction) Derek’s boner hadn’t gone done the entire ride over.

“I thought we could cuddle afterwards,” Derek did that thing again, brushing his lips against Stiles’ ear. “Downstairs on the couch, of course. Don’t want your father getting any ideas.”

“I don’t know if you should stay. My dad’s not exactly expecting you.”

Derek pulled away, and Stiles mourned his loss. “Hey, where are you go - ” he paused when he felt a hand caress his cheek again. 

“I came by last week to ask your father if I could date you.” Stiles stopped breathing. “He told me it was about damn time. Something about not having to hear about me twenty times a day anymore. Sounded like he was looking forward to it. Where’s you’re bedroom?”

“You can’t just drop a bomb on me like that and expect to go right back into the sexy stuff. This is so awesome.”

Derek snickered, dropping his head to Stiles neck and nibbling on it. “I think I can get you back to sexy stuff,” he mumbled against Stiles’ skin.

“I think you can too. Come on and get your ass into the bedroom.”

 

* * *

 

 

Stiles’ fingers shook as the back of his knees hit the bed. “Wait,” he gasped.

Derek paused. Not pushing Stiles down, yet not backing up. He waited.

“Can I… may I…”

“Just ask, Stiles.”

“Can I…undress you?”

The little noise Derek made was confirmation enough for Stiles. His hands found the bottom of his henley and he lifted. Sleek abs and pectoral muscles slid into view.

“Take it the rest of the way,” Stiles ordered. Derek again obliged, grabbing his raised shirt and lifting it off of his head.

Stiles hands were…everywhere. He ran them across Derek’s pecs, pausing to squeeze the nipples and elicit another moan from Derek. He moved them down Derek’s arms, curling around his biceps before ending up open palmed on his abs. He traced each one, head resting on Derek’s shoulder and eye’s following his hands movements.

“You’re so…fucking hot…” Stiles breathed. His fingers traced Derek’s stomach down until it hit denim, and he continued until he was palming Derek’s dick.

“And so hard.”

“Stiles…your hand. I thought you were stripping me.”

He didn’t respond apart from unbuttoning Derek’s pants and slowly sliding the zipper down. The noise, as a sharp contrast to the silence in the room, felt obscene.

He moved his hand in Derek’s pants, but kept his boxers between. He could still get his hand around the huge length. It made his brain feel heavy.

“I’m not going to lie right now Derek. I don’t know how that’s going to fit in me.”

Derek chuckled slightly, grasping Stiles’ face and lifting it up till their eyes met. Stiles groaned, rather liking his view of his own hand down Derek’s pants.

“Why is it that everything you say gets me so hot?”

“Maybe cause I’m hot?” Stiles went for joking. It wasn’t the first time Derek took him seriously.

“You have no idea.”

Derek moved until he was gripping Stiles’ shirt, lifting it off his body and throwing it over his shoulder. Stiles immediately moved to cover himself up. Next to Derek’s six pack and biceps, Stiles felt particularly lacking.

Derek was too fast. He grabbed his hands, pushed him down on the bed and spread him out.

“Never tried to cover yourself up, Stiles.” There was no way that could be taken as anything but a command.

“Sorry if I’m not up to par.” He murmured, looking away from Derek. He hissed when he felt a mouth on his nibble. Where were his pants? How did Derek get Stiles’ pants off so quickly?

“Up to what par?” Derek literally spoke around his nipple. Stiles was pretty sure he was leaking a mess into his boxers.

“With you’re other partners. Sorry if I’m not as muscly. Or booby…whatever.”

Derek paused. With one hand he yanked down Stiles boxers and wrapped a hand around Stiles’ weeping dick. He forced Stiles to look at him with the other.

“What other partners? I haven’t had sex in more than a year Stiles. It’s you.”

“O-okay.”

“And God damnit Stiles, you need to get it in your head that you’re gorgeous. I’ll never understand how I’m your first. You’re fucking beautiful.”

Derek’s hands were twisting his cock in the most amazing way. Stiles was trying really hard not to arch upwards into Derek’s fist.

When Derek started kissing his way down his chest, Stiles knew what was about to happen. Derek paused right at Stiles belly button, placing a soft kiss on his skin before he momentarily bounded off of Stiles.

“Hey!”

He was back in a second.

“Shh, I’m right here.”

“What were you – oh!”

A lubed up finger brushed Stiles’ entrance, massaging the rim while Derek placed a kiss on the tip of Stiles’ dick.

“Is this going where I think it’s going?” The finger had started to lightly prod it’s way inside of him. It was only small jabs however; for the most part it was like Derek was just playing with the rim.

“Where do you think it’s going?” That was Derek’s breath on his dick. _Gwahh_.

“Like you’re going to finger me open while sucking my cock. Because I think that might be too, holy shit uhhh…”

Derek’s mouth encased his tip as a finger slid inside of him. Stiles couldn’t help but to clench down, hissing at the pull of the digit. Derek’s mouth was wet. And hot. And amazing. And he was humming.

And that was a second finger. Speedy much?

“Oh my God Derek, how are you…God look at you.” Derek looked up, lips currently wrapped around Stiles’ girth and fingers shoving their way up Stiles.

He didn’t know what love was. But he was pretty sure what he was feeling for this man was along those lines.

When Derek fluttered his eyes shut and sunk the rest of the way down, Stiles soon lost his voice. Derek’s fingers had found his prostate, and he was massaging it at an unrelenting pace.

“I’m gonna - ” Derek quickly pulled off, a loud pop echoing through the room mixed with Stiles’ vulgar moans. Stripe after stripe of cum painted his stomach as Derek jerked and finger fucked him through it.

“Beautiful…”

“Were not done, though…right?” Stiles was taking quick, short breaths. He felt…light. Like a feather. But lighter.

Derek seemed to forego an answer by swiping his finger across Stiles’ chest and pumping Stiles full of his own cum.

“Oh my God what are you doing?”

“Getting you nice and moist for me.”

Stiles moaned, felt another finger scoop his jizz off his chest and push it inside him. He lost count of how many fingers there were. Maybe four. Probably just three. Either way, he was ready.

Derek’s actions had already started getting him hard again.

“Please…” he murmured.

“Okay I think you’re ready. Let me get a condom…”

“What! No! Hey, stay here!” Stiles latched on to Derek and pulled him back on top of him. He gave him a quick kiss before fumbling for Derek’s (admatitely already very lubed) dick.

“No condom,” he murmured against Derek’s lips.

“Stiles…”

“Are you carrying anything?”

“No. I haven’t had sex - ”

“In more than a year, yeah you told me. And I haven’t ever. Get inside me, big guy.”

Stiles smiled as he heard Derek groan. He lifted his hips up as he felt Derek fumbling down by his dick, presumably leading it to – yep. Stiles felt a hard presence rub against his rim.

“Yes…please… _Derek_.”

Derek pushed in, and Stiles immediately clamped down. It hurt. Derek was very big.

“Stiles you need to relax,” he heard him whisper into his ear. “Maybe we should do this with you on your knees..”

Stiles squeezed his legs around Derek’s middle and shook his head. He looked up into his eyes. “No. Want to see you.”

“I’m not all the way in and you already looked fucked out.”

“Yeah, but you love it.”

Derek nodded and pushed his hips more. He bent down to Stiles ear and whispered an ‘I do’. Stiles’ eyes rolled back as he got fuller and fuller, a hard, thick shaft pushing his way inside of him.

When he felt Derek’s balls hit his skin, when he felt so full he was going to explode, he knew Derek was in all the way.

“I’m not going to last Stiles. You’re so tight.”

“Good tight?”

“Good tight.” Derek cantered his hips; little jabs that still made Stiles see stars. He pulled out more, pushing back in and brushing the one place that left Stiles speechless.

When he continued to do that, Stiles was pretty sure the head of Derek’s cock was literally massaging his prostate.

“Harder, Derek. Please.”

The squelch of Derek’s dick leaving and entering Stiles repeatedly filled the room as Derek gave Stiles what he wanted. Derek seemed to take and take and _pounded_ , leaving Stiles a withering mess under him.

His orgasm hit him out of nowhere. He wasn’t even touching his dick, yet there it was again streaking his chest with hot and sticky cum.

Apparently this felt good to Derek, who moaned above him and almost whimpered.

“Stiles..I’m going to cum…can I…”

He didn’t have to say it. Stiles knew what he was asking.

“Yes. Do it.”

It was maybe only three more thrusts into Stiles before Derek went balls deep and stilled. Stiles wiggled slightly, feeling a burst of heat inside of him and realizing that that was Derek spilling into him.

_Oh_.

 

* * *

 

 

Settled on the couch downstairs, Stiles shamelessly crawled into Derek’s lap before settling down. With his face nestled into Derek’s neck he sighed. Stiles kissed his skin gently.

“Thank you.”

Derek looked down at him. They both ignored the movie they had put into the DVD player. If anything, his Dad was going to come home to find the two of them sleeping with the _Frozen_ main menu illuminating the couch.

Derek just kept looking at him. Stiles finally couldn’t take it, blushing and curling himself into the warm layer of Derek’s henley.

When he finally did speak, his words rocked Stiles’ world.

“I think this is the happiest I’ve ever been, Stiles.”

“Will you stay…tomorrow?” It was hard talking through the emotions he was feeling. “I’m pretty sure Dad will want you to stay. We have Christmas breakfast. Do you like breakfast? If not we can make you lunch. It’ll be around noon anyway so it will be totally appropriate. Or I mean you don’t have to stay either I just thought - ”

“Stiles.”

“Shutting up now.”

“I’ll stay for breakfast.”

Stiles smiled, burrowing yet farther into Derek’s embrace.

“But you’re coming to Laura’s in the afternoon. She already knows I was going to make a move tonight. Which means my parents know. Which means everybody will be hoping to see you tomorrow.”

Stiles couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that Derek’s family was actually looking forward to seeing him.

“My dad…”

“Would actually be very mad if you didn’t go.”

“What?”

“When I told him I was planning to ask you out, one of his conditions was that I drag you to my family Christmas. At least for a little while.”

“Why?”

“I’m not supposed to say.”

“It’s totally because of Melissa. He seriously just needs to come out and tell me already.”

Derek hummed and gripped Stiles tighter.

A few minutes passed by and Stiles was already falling asleep. He felt warm and content, and most of all he felt loved.

“I’m really glad I applied to work at the theater,” Stiles yawned.

“I’m really glad I asked for that water cup.”

Stiles giggled a bit before placing one more kiss on Derek’s neck.

“Goodnight Mr. Stubble.”

“Goodnight Mr. Big Mouth.”

<3

  

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and comment if you loved it! : )


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